THE FAERIE QUEENE by Edmund Spenser TO The ... - Planet.ee

www.TaleBooks.comNo living creature could his cruelty asswage.XXIX. But sith that none of all her knights is nye,See how the heavens, of voluntary graceAnd soveraine favor towards chastity,Doe succor send to her distressed cace;So much high God doth innocence embrace.It fortuned, whilest thus she stifly strove,And the wide sea importuned long spaceWith shrilling shriekes, Proteus abrode did rove,Along the fomy waves driving his finny drove.XXX. Proteus is Shepheard of the seas of yore,And hath the charge of Neptunes mighty heard;An aged sire with head all frory hore,And sprinckled frost upon his deawy beard:Who when those pittifull outcries he heardThrough all the seas so ruefully resownd,His charett swifte in hast he thither steard,Which with a teeme of scaly Phocas bowndWas drawne upon the waves that fomed him arownd.XXXI. And comming to that Fishers wandring bote,That went at will withouten card or sayle,He therein saw that yrkesome sight, which smoteDeepe indignation and compassion frayleInto his hart attonce: streight did he hayleThe greedy villein from his hoped pray,Of which he now did very litle fayle,And with his staffe, that drives his heard astray,Him bett so sore, that life and sence did much dismay.XXXII. The whiles the pitteous Lady up did ryse,Ruffled and fowly raid with filthy soyle,And blubbred face with teares of her faire eyes:Her heart nigh broken was with weary toyle,To save her selfe from that outrageous spoyle;But when she looked up, to weet what wightHad her from so infamous fact assoyld,For shame, but more for feare of his grim sight,Downe in her lap she hid her face, and lowdly shright.XXXIII. Her selfe not saved yet from daunger dreddShe thought, but chaung'd from one to other feare:Like as a fearefull partridge, that is fleddFrom the sharpe hauke which her attached neare,And fals to ground to seeke for succor theare,Whereas the hungry Spaniells she does spyeWith greedy jawes her ready for to teare:In such distresse and sad perplexityWas Florimell, when Proteus she did see her by.XXXIV. But he endevored with speaches mildeHer to recomfort, and accourage bold,Bidding her feare no more her foemen vilde,Page 342 , Faerie Queene, The - Edmund Spenser