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The first Booke of
Cant. XI.
Bespotted all with shieldes of red and blacke,It sweepeth all the land behind him farre,And of three furlongs does but litle lacke;And at the point two stinges in fixed arre,Both deadly sharp, that sharpest steele exceeden farr.
But stinges and sharpest steele did far exceedThe sharpnesse of his cruel rending clawes;Dead was it sure, as sure as death in deed,What euer thing does touch his rauenous pawes,Or what within his reach he euer drawes.But his most hideous head my tongue to tell,Does tremble: for his deepe deuouring iawesWyde gaped, like the griesly mouth of hell,Through which into his darke abysse all rauin fell.
And that more wondrous was, in either iawThree ranckes of yron teeth enraunged were,In which yett trickling blood and gobbets rawOf late deuoured bodies did appeare,That sight thereof bredd cold congealed feare:Which to increase, and all atonce to kill,A cloud of smoothering smoke and sulphure seareOut of his stinking gorge forth steemed still,That all the ayre about with smoke and stench did fill.
His blazing eyes, like two bright shining shieldes,Did burne with wrath, and sparkled liuing fyre;As two broad Beacons, sett in open fieldes,Send forth their flames far of to euery shyre,And warning giue, that enimies conspyre,With fire and sword the region to inuade;So flam'd his eyne with rage and rancorous yre:But far within, as in a hollow glade,Those glaring lampes were sett, that made a dreadfull shade.
So
