28
The first Booke of
Cant. II.
Least to you hap, that happened to me heare,And to this wretched Lady, my deare loue,O too deare loue, loue bought with death too deare.Astond he stood, and vp his heare did houe,And with that suddein horror could no member moue.
At last whenas the dreadfull passionWas ouerpast, and manhood well awake,Yet musing at the straunge occasion,And doubting much his sence, he thus bespake;What voice of damned Ghost from Limbo lake,Or guilefull spright wandring in empty aire,Both which fraile men doe oftentimes mistake,Sends to my doubtful eares these speaches rare,And tuefull plants, me bidding guiltlesse blood to spare?
Then groning deep, Nor damned Ghost, (qd. he,)Nor guileful sprite to thee these words doth speake,But once a man Fradubio, now a tree,Wretched man, wretched tree; whose nature weakeA cruell witch her cursed will to wreake,Hath thus transformd, and plast in open plaines,Where Boreas doth blow full bitter bleake,And scorching Sunne does dry my secret vaines:For though a tree I seme, yet cold & heat me paines.
Say on Fradubio then, or man, or tree,Qd. then the knight, by whose mischieuous artsArt thou misshaped thus, as now I see?He oft finds med'cine, who his griefe imparts;But double griefs afflict concealing harts,As raging flames who striueth to suppresse.The author then (said he) of all my smarts,Is one Duessa a false sorceresse,That many errāt knights hath broght to wretchednesse.
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