How oft do they, their siluer bowers leaue, ii To come to succour vs, that succour want? How oft do they with golden pineons, cleaue The flitting skyes, like flying Pursuiuant, Against foule feends to aide vs millitant? They for vs fight, they watch and dewly ward, And their bright Squadrons round about vs plant, And all for loue, and nothing for reward: O why should heauenly God to men haue such regard? During the while, that _Guyon_ did abide iii In _Mammons_[693] house, the Palmer, whom whyleare That wanton Mayd of passage had denide, By further search had passage found elsewhere, And being on his way, approched neare, Where _Guyon_ lay in traunce, when suddenly He heard a voice, that called loud and cleare, Come hither, come hither[694], O come hastily; That all the fields resounded with the ruefull cry. The Palmer lent his eare vnto the noyce, iv To weet, who called so importunely: Againe he heard a more efforced voyce, That bad him come in haste. He by and by His feeble feet directed to the cry; Which to that shadie delue him brought at last, Where _Mammon_ earst did sunne his threasury: There the good _Guyon_ he found slumbring fast In senselesse dreame; which sight at first him sore aghast. Beside his head there sate a faire young man, v Of wondrous beautie, and of freshest yeares, Whose tender bud to blossome new began, And flourish faire aboue his equall peares; His snowy front curled with golden heares, Like _Phœbus_ face adornd with sunny rayes, Diuinely shone, and two sharpe winged sheares, Decked with diuerse plumes, like painted Iayes, Were fixed at his backe, to cut his ayerie wayes. Like as _Cupido_ on _Idæan_ hill, vi When hauing laid his cruell bow away, And mortall arrowes, wherewith he doth fill The world with murdrous spoiles and bloudie pray, With his faire mother he him dights to play, And with his goodly sisters, _Graces_ three; The Goddesse pleased with his wanton play, Suffers her selfe through sleepe beguild to bee, The whiles the other Ladies mind their merry glee. Whom when the Palmer saw, abasht he was vii Through fear and wonder, that he nought could say, Till him the child bespoke, Long lackt, alas, Hath bene thy faithfull aide in hard assay, Whiles deadly fit thy pupill doth dismay; Behold this heauie sight, thou reuerend Sire, But dread of death and dolour doe away; For life ere long shall to her home retire, And he that breathlesse seemes, shal corage bold respire.