Cant. I.
the Faery Queene.
7
But full of fire and greedy hardiment,The youthfull knight could not for ought be staide,But forth vnto the darksom hole he went,And looked in: his glistring armor madeA litle glooming light, much like a shade,By which he saw the vgly monster plaine,Halfe like a serpent horribly displaide,But th' other halfe did womans shape retaine,Most lothsom, filthie, foule, and full of vile disdaine.
And as she lay vpon the durtie ground,Her huge long taile her den all ouerspred,Yet was in knots and many boughtes vpwound,Pointed with mortall sting. Of her there bred,A thousand yong ones, which she dayly fed,Sucking vpon her poisnous dugs, eachoneOf sundrie shapes, yet all ill fauored:Soone as that vncouth light vpon them shone,Into her mouth they crept, and suddain all were gone.
Their dam vpstart, out of her den effraide,And rushed forth, hurling her hideous taileAbout her cursed head, whose folds displaidWere stretcht now forth at length without entraile,She lookt about, and seeing one in mayleArmed to point, sought backe to turne againe;For light she hated as the deadly bale,Ay wont in desert darknes to remaine,Where plain none might her see, nor she see any plaine.
Which when the valiant Elfe perceiu'd, he leptAs Lyon fierce vpon the flying pray,And with his trenchand blade her boldly keptFrom turning backe, and forced her to stay:
There
