Cant. XI.
the Faerie Queene.
157
By this the dreadfull Beast drew nigh to hand,Halfe flying, and halfe footing in his haste,That with his largenesse measured much land,And made wide shadow vnder his huge waste;As mountaine doth the valley ouercaste.Approching nigh, he reared high aforeHis body monstrous, horrible, and vaste,Which to increase his wondrous greatnes more,Was swoln with wrath, & poyson, & with bloody gore.
And ouer, all with brasen scales was armd,Like plated cote of steele, so couched neare,That nought mote perce, ne might his corse bee harmdWith dint of swerd, nor push of pointed speare,Which as an Eagle, seeing pray appeare,His aery plumes doth rouze, full rudely dight,So shaked he, that horror was to heare,For as the clashing of an Armor bright,Such noyse his rouzed scales did send vnto the knight.
His flaggy winges when forth he did display,Were like two sayles, in which the hollow wyndIs gathered full, and worketh speedy way:And eke the pennes, that did his pineons bynd,Were like mayne-yardes, with flying canuas kynd,With which whenas him list the ayre to beat,And there by force vnwonted passage fynd,The clowdes before him fledd for terror great,And all the heuens stood still amazed with his threat.
His huge long tayle wownd vp in hundred foldes,Does ouerspred his long bras-scaly back,Whose wreathed boughtes when euer he vnfoldes,And thick entangled knots adown does slack,
Bespotted
