Cant. IIII.
the Faery Queene.
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And to augment the glorie of his guile,His dearest loue the faire Fidessa loeIs there possessed of the traytour vile,Who reapes the haruest sowen by his foe,Sowen in bloodie field, and bought with woe:That brothers hand shall dearely well requightSo be, O Queene, you equall fauour showe.Him litle answerd th'angry Elfin knight;He neuer meant with words, but swords to plead his right.
But threw his gauntlet as a sacred pledg,His cause in combat the next day to try:So been they parted both, with harts on edg,To be aueng'd each on his enimy.That night they pas in ioy and iollity,Feasting and courting both in bowre and hall;For Steward was excessiue Gluttony,That of his plenty poured forth to all;Which doen, the Chamberlain Slowth did to rest them call.
Now whenas darkesome night had all displaydHer coleblacke curtein ouer brightest skye,The warlike youthes on dayntie couches layd,Did chace away sweet sleepe from sluggish eye,To muse on meanes of hoped victory.But whenas Morpheus had with leaden mace,Arrested all that courtly company,Vprose Duessa from her resting place,And to the Paynims lodging comes with silent pace.
Whom broad awake she findes, in troublous fitt,Forecasting, how his foe he might annoy,And him amoues with speaches seeming fitt:Ah deare Sansioy, next dearest to Sansfoy,
Cause
