Cant. III.
the Faery Queene.
37
He was to weete a stout and sturdy thiefe,Wont to robbe Churches of their ornaments,And poore mens boxes of their due reliefe,Which giuen was to them for good intents;The holy Saints of their rich vestimentsHe did disrobe, when all men carelesse slept,And spoild the Priests of their habiliments,Whiles none the holy things in safety kept,Then he by conning sleights in at the window crept.
And all that he by right or wrong could find,Vnto this house he brought, and did bestowVpon the daghter of this woman blind,Abessa daughter of Corceca slow,With whom he whoredome vsd, that few did know,And fed her fatt with feast of offerings,And plenty, which in all the land did grow;Ne spared he to giue her gold and rings:And now he to her brought part of his stolen things.
Thus long the dore with rage and threats he bett,Yet of those fearfull women none durst rize,The Lyon frayed them, him into lett:He would no lenger stay him to aduize,But open breakes the dore in furious wize,And entring is; when that disdainfull beastEncountring fierce, him suddein doth surprize,And seizing cruell clawes on trembling brest,Vnder his Lordly foot him proudly hath supprest.
Him booteth not resist, nor succour call,His bleeding hart is in the vengers hand,Who streight him rent in thousand peeces small,And quite dismembred hath: the thirsty land
Druncke
