Early before the Morne with cremosin ray, iii The windowes of bright heauen opened had, Through which into the world the dawning day Might looke, that maketh euery creature glad, Vprose Sir _Guyon_, in bright armour clad, And to his purposd iourney him prepar’d: With him the Palmer eke in habit sad, Him selfe addrest to that aduenture hard: So to the riuers side they both together far’d. Where them awaited ready at the ford iv The _Ferriman_, as _Alma_ had behight, With his well rigged boate: They go abord, And he[805] eftsoones gan launch his barke forthright. Ere long they rowed were quite out of sight, And fast the land behind them fled away. But let them pas, whiles wind and weather right Do serue their turnes: here I a while must stay, To see a cruell fight doen by the Prince this day. For all so soone, as _Guyon_ thence was gon v Vpon his voyage with his trustie guide, That wicked band of villeins fresh begon That castle to assaile on euery side, And lay strong siege about it far and wide. So huge and infinite their numbers were, That all the land they vnder them did hide; So fowle and vgly, that exceeding feare Their visages imprest, when they approched neare. Them in twelue troupes their Captain did dispart vi And round about in fittest steades did place, Where each might best offend his proper part, And his contrary obiect most deface, As euery one seem’d meetest in that cace. Seuen of the same against the Castle gate, In strong entrenchments he did closely place, Which with incessaunt force and endlesse hate, They battred day and night, and entraunce did awate. The other fiue, fiue sundry wayes he set, vii Against the fiue great Bulwarkes of that pile, And vnto each a Bulwarke did arret, T’assayle with open force or hidden guile, In hope thereof to win victorious spoile. They all that charge did feruently apply, With greedie malice and importune toyle, And planted there their huge artillery, With which they dayly made most dreadfull battery. The first troupe was a monstrous rablement viii Of fowle misshapen wights, of which some were Headed like Owles, with beckes[806] vncomely bent, Others like Dogs, others like Gryphons dreare, And some had wings, and some had clawes to teare, And euery one of them had Lynces eyes, And euery one did bow and arrowes beare: All those were lawlesse lustes, corrupt enuies, And couetous aspectes, all cruell enimies.