Cant. VI.
the Faerie Queene.
77
And win rich spoile of ransackt chastitee.Ah heauens, that doe this hideous act behold,And heauenly virgin thus outraged see,How can ye vengeance iust so long withhold,And hurle not flashing flames vpō that Paynim bold?
The pitteous mayden carefull comfortlesse,Does throw out thrilling shriekes, and shrieking cryes,The last vaine helpe of wemens great distresse,And with loud plaintes importuneth the skyes,That molten starres doe drop like weeping eyes;And Phœbus flying so most shamefull sight,His blushing face in foggy cloud implyes,And hydes for shame. What witt of mortall wightCan now deuise to quitt a thrall from such a plight?
Eternall prouidence exceeding thought,Where none appeares can make her selfe a way:A wondrous way it for this Lady wrought,From Lyons clawes to pluck the gryped pray.Her shrill outcryes and shrieks so loud did bray,That all the woodes and forestes did resownd;A troupe of Faunes and Satyres far a wayWithin the wood were dauncing in a rownd,Whiles old Syluanus slept in shady arber sownd,
Who when they heard that pitteous strained voice,In haste forsooke their rurall meriment,And ran towardes the far rebownded noyce,To weet, what wight so loudly did lament.Vnto the place they come incontinent:Whom when the raging Sarazin espyde,A rude, mishappen, monstrous rablement,Whose like he neuer saw, he durst not byde,But got his ready steed, and fast away gan ryde.
