Cant. IIII.
the Faery Queene.
47
By them they passe, all gazing on them round,And to the Presence mount; whose glorious vewTheir frayle amazed senses did confound:In liuing Princes court none euer knewSuch endlesse richesse, and so sumpteous shew;Ne Persia selfe, the nourse of pompous prideLike euer saw. And there a noble crewOf Lords and Ladies stood on euery side,Which with their presence fayre, the place much beautifide.
High aboue all a cloth of State was spred,And a rich throne, as bright as sunny day,On which there sate most braue embellishedWith royall robes and gorgeous array,A mayden Queene, that shone as Titans ray,In glistring gold, and perelesse pretious stone;Yet her bright blazing beautie did assayTo dim the brightnesse of her glorious throne,As enuying her selfe, that too exceeding shone.
Exceeding shone, like Phœbus fayrest childe,That did presume his fathers fyrie wayne,And flaming mouthes of steedes vnwonted wildeThrough highest heauen with weaker hand to rayne;Proud of such glory and aduancement vayne,While flashing beames do daze his feeble eyen,He leaues the welkin way most beaten playne,And rapt with whirling wheeles, inflames the skyen,With fire not made to burne, but fayrely for to shyne.
So proud she shyned in her princely state,Looking to heauen; for earth she did disdayne,And sitting high; for lowly she did hate:Lo vnder neath her scornefull feete, was layne
A
