Goodly they all that knight do entertaine, xv Right glad with him to haue increast their crew: But to _Duess’_ each one himselfe did paine All kindnesse and faire courtesie to shew; For in that court whylome her well they knew: Yet the stout Faerie monist the middest crowd Thought all their glorie vaine in knightly vew, And that great Princesse too exceeding prowd, That to strange knight no better countenance allowd. Suddein vpriseth from her stately place xvi The royall Dame, and for her coche doth call: All hurtlen[141] forth, and she with Princely pace, As faire _Aurora_ in her purple pall, Out of the East the dawning day doth call: So forth she comes: her brightnesse brode doth blaze; The heapes of people thronging in the hall, Do ride each other, vpon her to gaze: Her glorious glitterand[142] light doth all mens eyes amaze. So forth she comes, and to her coche does clyme, xvii Adorned all with gold, and girlonds gay, That seemd as fresh as _Flora_ in her prime, And stroue to match, in royall rich array, Great _Iunoes_ golden chaire, the which they say The Gods stand gazing on, when she does ride To _Ioues_ high house through heauens bras-paued way Drawne of faire Pecocks, that excell in pride, And full of _Argus_ eyes their tailes dispredden wide. But this was drawne of six vnequall beasts, xviii On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde, Taught to obay their bestiall beheasts, With like conditions to their kinds applyde: Of which the first, that all the rest did guyde, Was sluggish _Idlenesse_ the nourse of sin; Vpon a slouthfull Asse he chose to ryde, Arayd in habit blacke, and amis thin, Like to an holy Monck, the seruice to begin. And in his hand his Portesse still he bare, xix That much was worne, but therein little red, For of deuotion he had little care, Still drownd in sleepe, and most of his dayes ded; Scarse could he once vphold his heauie hed, To looken, whether it were night or day: May seeme the wayne was very euill led, When such an one had guiding of the way, That knew not, whether right he went, or else astray. From worldly cares himselfe he did esloyne, xx And greatly shunned manly exercise, From[143] euery worke he chalenged essoyne, For contemplation sake: yet otherwise, His life he led in lawlesse riotise; By which he grew to grieuous malady; For in his lustlesse limbs through euill guise A shaking feuer raignd continually: Such one was _Idlenesse_, first of this company.