And in the midst of all, a fountaine stood, lx Of richest substaunce, that on earth might bee, So pure and shiny, that the siluer flood Through euery channell running one might see; Most goodly it with curious[853] imageree Was ouer-wrought, and shapes of naked boyes, Of which some seemd with liuely iollitee, To fly about, playing their wanton toyes, Whilest others did them selues embay in liquid ioyes. And ouer all, of purest gold was spred, lxi A trayle of yuie in his natiue hew: For the rich mettall was so coloured, That wight, who did not well auis’d it vew, Would surely deeme it to be yuie trew: Low his lasciuious armes adown did creepe, That themselues dipping in the siluer dew, Their fleecy flowres they tenderly[854] did steepe, Which drops of Christall seemd for wantones to weepe. Infinit streames continually did well lxii Out of this fountaine, sweet and faire to see, The which into an ample lauer fell, And shortly grew to so great quantitie, That like a little lake it seemd to bee; Whose depth exceeded not three cubits hight, That through the waues one might the bottom see, All pau’d beneath with Iaspar shining bright, That seemd the fountaine in that sea did sayle vpright. And all the margent round about was set, lxiii With shady Laurell trees, thence to defend The sunny beames, which on the billowes bet, And those which therein bathed, mote offend. As _Guyon_ hapned by the same to wend, Two naked Damzelles he therein espyde, Which therein bathing, seemed to contend, And wrestle wantonly, ne car’d to hyde, Their dainty parts from vew of any, which them eyde. Sometimes the one would lift the other quight lxiv Aboue the waters, and then downe againe Her plong, as ouer maistered by might, Where both awhile would couered remaine, And each the other from to rise restraine; The whiles their snowy limbes, as through a vele, So through the Christall waues appeared plaine: Then suddeinly both would themselues vnhele, And th’amarous sweet spoiles to greedy eyes reuele. As that faire Starre, the messenger of morne, lxv His deawy face out of the sea doth reare: Or as the _Cyprian_ goddesse, newly borne Of th’Oceans fruitfull froth, did first appeare: Such seemed they, and so their yellow heare Christalline humour dropped downe apace. Whom such when _Guyon_ saw, he drew him neare, And somewhat gan relent his earnest pace, His stubborne brest gan secret pleasaunce to embrace.