Thus fairely she attempered her feast, xxxix And pleasd them all with meete satietie, At last when lust of meat and drinke was ceast, She _Guyon_ deare besought of curtesie, To tell from whence he came through ieopardie, And whither now on new aduenture bound. Who with bold grace, and comely grauitie, Drawing to him the eyes of all around, From lofty siege began these words aloud to sound. This thy demaund, O Lady, doth reuiue xl Fresh memory in me of that great Queene, Great and most glorious virgin Queene aliue, That with her soueraigne powre, and scepter shene All Faery lond does peaceably[517] sustene. In widest Ocean she her throne does reare, That ouer all the earth it may be seene; As morning Sunne her beames dispredden cleare, And in her face faire peace, and mercy doth appeare. In her the richesse of all heauenly grace[518] xli In chiefe degree are heaped vp on hye: And all that else this worlds enclosure bace[519] Hath great or glorious in mortall eye,[520] Adornes the person of her Maiestie; That men beholding so great excellence, And rare perfection in mortalitie, Do her adore with sacred reuerence, As th’Idole of her makers great magnificence. To her I homage and my seruice owe, xlii In number of the noblest knights on ground, Mongst whom on me she deigned to bestowe Order of _Maydenhead_, the most renownd, That may this day in all the world be found:[521] An yearely solemne feast she wontes to make[522] The day that first doth lead the yeare around; To which all knights of worth and courage bold Resort, to heare of straunge aduentures to be told. There this old Palmer shewed himselfe that day, xliii And to that mighty Princesse did complaine Of grieuous mischiefes, which a wicked Fay Had wrought, and many whelmd in deadly paine, Whereof he crau’d redresse. My Soueraine, Whose glory is in gracious deeds, and ioyes Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine, Eftsoones deuisd redresse for such annoyes; Me all vnfit for so great purpose she employes. Now hath faire _Phœbe_ with her siluer face xliv Thrise seene the shadowes of the neather world, Sith last I left that honorable place, In which her royall presence is †introld[523]; Ne euer shall I rest in house nor hold, Till I that false _Acrasia_ haue wonne; Of whose fowle deedes, too hideous to be told,[524] I witnesse am, and this their wretched sonne, Whose wofull parents she hath wickedly fordonne.