Lo now she is that stone, from whose[498] two heads, ix As from two weeping eyes, fresh streames do flow, Yet cold through feare, and old conceiued dreads; And yet the stone her semblance seemes to show, Shapt like a maid, that such ye may her know; And yet her vertues in her water byde: For it is chast and pure, as purest snow, Ne lets her waues with any filth be[499] dyde, But euer like her selfe vnstained hath beene tryde. From thence it comes, that this babes bloudy hand x May not be clensd with water of this well: Ne certes Sir striue you it to withstand, But let them still be bloudy, as befell, That they his mothers innocence may tell, As she bequeathd in her last testament; That as a sacred Symbole it may dwell In her sonnes flesh, to minde reuengement, And be for all chast Dames an endlesse moniment. He hearkned to his reason, and the childe xi Vptaking, to the Palmer gaue to beare; But his sad fathers armes with bloud defilde, An heauie load himselfe did lightly reare, And turning to that place, in which whyleare He left his loftie steed with golden sell, And goodly gorgeous barbes, him found not theare. By other accident that earst befell, He is conuaide, but how or where, here fits not tell. Which when Sir _Guyon_ saw, all were he wroth, xii Yet algates mote he soft himselfe appease, And fairely fare on foot, how euer loth; His double burden did him sore disease. So long they traueiled with litle ease, Till that at last they to a Castle came, Built on a rocke adioyning to the seas;[500] It was an auncient worke of antique fame[501], And wondrous strong by nature, and by skilfull frame. Therein three sisters dwelt of sundry sort, xiii The children of one sire by mothers three; Who dying whylome did diuide this fort To them by equall shares in equall fee: But strifull[502] minde, and diuerse qualitee Drew them in parts, and each made others foe: Still did they striue, and dayly disagree; The eldest did against the youngest goe, And both against the middest meant to worken woe. Where when the knight arriu’d, he was right well xiv Receiu’d, as knight of so much worth became, Of second sister, who did far excell The other two; _Medina_ was her name, A sober sad, and comely curteous Dame; Who rich arayd, and yet in modest guize, In goodly garments, that her well became, Faire marching forth in honorable wize, Him at the threshold met, and well did enterprize.