Cant. XII.
the Faery Queene.
175
What needes me tell their feast and goodly guize,In which was nothing riotous nor vaine?What needes of dainty dishes to deuize,Of comely seruices, or courtly trayne?My narrow leaues cannot in them vntayneThe large discourse of roiall Princes state.Yet was their manner then but bare and playne:For th'antique world excesse and pryde did hate;Such proud luxurious pompe is swollen vp but late.
Then when with meates and drinkes of euery kindeTheir feruent appetites they quenched had,That auncient Lord gan fit occasion finde,Of straunge aduentures, and of perils sad,Which in his trauell him befallen had,For to demaund of his renowmed guest:Who then with vtt'rance graue, and count'nance sad,From poynt to poynt, as is before exprest,Discourst his voyage long, according his request.
Great pleasure mixt with pittifull regard,That godly King and Queene did passionate,Whyles they his pittifull aduentures heard,That oft they did lament his lucklesse state,And often blame the too importune fate,That heapd on him so many wrathfull wreakes:For neuer gentle knight, as he of late,So tossed was in fortunes cruell freakes;And all the while salt teares bedeawd the hearers cheaks.
Then sayd that royall Pere in sober wise;Deare Sonne, great beene the euils, which ye boreFrom first to last in your late enterprise,That I note, whether praise, or pitty more:
For
