Soone as those glitterand armes he did espye, xlii That with their brightnesse made that darknesse light, His harmefull club he gan to hurtle hye, And threaten batteill to the Faery knight; Who likewise gan himselfe to batteill dight, Till _Mammon_ did his hasty hand withhold, And counseld him abstaine from perilous fight: For nothing might abash the villein bold, Ne mortall steele emperce his miscreated mould. So hauing him with reason pacifide, xliii And the fiers Carle commaunding to forbeare, He brought him in. The rowme was large and wide, As it some Gyeld or solemne Temple weare: Many great golden pillours did vpbeare The massy roofe, and riches huge sustayne, And euery pillour decked was full deare With crownes and Diademes, and titles vaine, Which mortall Princes wore, whiles they on earth did rayne. A route of people there assembled were, xliv Of euery sort and nation vnder skye, Which with great vprore preaced to draw nere To th’vpper part, where was aduaunced hye A stately siege of soueraigne maiestye; And thereon sat a woman gorgeous gay, And richly clad in robes of royaltye, That neuer earthly Prince in such aray His glory did enhaunce, and pompous pride display. Her face right wondrous faire did seeme to bee, xlv That her broad beauties beam great brightnes threw Through the dim shade, that all men might it see: Yet was not that same her owne natiue hew, But wrought by art and counterfetted shew, Thereby more louers vnto her to call; Nath’lesse most heauenly faire in deed and vew She by creation was, till she did fall; Thenceforth she sought for helps, to cloke her crime withall. There, as in glistring glory she did sit, xlvi She held a great gold chaine ylincked well, Whose vpper end to highest heauen was knit, And lower part did reach to lowest Hell; And all that preace did round about her swell, To catchen hold of that long chaine, thereby To clime aloft, and others to excell: That was _Ambition_, rash desire to sty, And euery lincke thereof a step of dignity. Some thought to raise themselues to high degree, xlvii By riches and vnrighteous reward, Some by close shouldring, some by flatteree; Others through friends, others for base regard; And all by wrong wayes for themselues prepard. Those that were vp themselues, kept others low, Those that were low themselues, held others hard, Ne suffred them to rise or greater grow, But euery one did striue his fellow downe to throw.