The knight and _Vna_ entring, faire her greet, xxxii And bid her ioy of that her happie brood; Who them requites with court’sies seeming meet, And entertaines with friendly chearefull mood. Then _Vna_ her besought, to be so good, As in her vertuous rules to schoole her knight, Now after all his torment well withstood, In that sad house of _Penaunce_, where his spright Had past the paines of hell, and long enduring night. She was right ioyous of her iust request, xxxiii And taking by the hand that Faeries sonne, Gan him instruct in euery good behest, Of loue, and righteousnesse, and well to donne, And wrath, and hatred warely to shonne, That drew on men Gods hatred, and his wrath, And many soules in dolours had fordonne: In which when him she well instructed hath, From thence to heauen she teacheth him the ready path. Wherein his weaker wandring steps to guide, xxxiv An auncient matrone she to her does call, Whose sober lookes her wisedome well descride: Her name was _Mercie_, well knowne ouer all, To be both gratious, and eke liberall: To whom the carefull charge of him she gaue, To lead aright, that he should neuer fall In all his wayes through this wide worldes[340] waue, That Mercy in the end his righteous soule might saue. The godly Matrone by the hand him beares xxxv Forth from her presence, by a narrow way, Scattred with bushy thornes, and ragged breares, Which still before him she remou’d away, That nothing might his ready passage stay: And euer when his feet encombred were, Or gan to shrinke, or from the right to stray, She held him fast, and firmely did vpbeare, As carefull Nourse her child from falling oft does reare. Eftsoones vnto an holy Hospitall, xxxvi That was fore by the way, she did him bring, In which seuen Bead-men that had vowed all Their life to seruice of high heauens king Did spend their dayes in doing godly thing: Their[341] gates to all were open euermore, That by the wearie way were traueiling, And one sate wayting euer them before, To call in commers-by[342], that needy were and pore. The first of them that eldest was, and best, xxxvii Of all the house had charge and gouernement, As Guardian and Steward of the rest: His office was to giue entertainement And lodging, vnto all that came, and went: Not vnto such, as could him feast againe, And double quite, for that he on them spent, But such, as want of harbour did constraine: Those for Gods sake his dewty was to entertaine.