So as she bad, that witch they disaraid, xlvi And robd of royall robes, and purple pall, And ornaments that richly were displaid; Ne spared they to strip her naked all. Then when they had despoild her tire and call, Such as she was, their eyes might her behold, That her misshaped[292] parts did them appall, A loathly, wrinckled hag, ill fauoured, old, Whose secret filth good manners biddeth not be told. Her craftie head was altogether bald, xlvii And as in hate of honorable eld, Was ouergrowne with scurfe and filthy scald; Her teeth out of her rotten gummes were feld, And her sowre breath abhominably smeld; Her dried dugs, like bladders lacking wind, Hong downe, and filthy matter from them weld; Her wrizled skin as rough, as maple rind, So scabby was, that would haue loathd all womankind. Her neather parts, the shame of all her kind, xlviii My chaster Muse for shame doth blush to write;[293] But at her rompe she growing had behind A foxes taile, with dong all fowly dight; And eke her feete most monstrous were in sight; For one of them was like an Eagles claw, With griping talaunts armd to greedy fight, The other like a Beares vneuen paw: More vgly shape yet neuer liuing creature saw. Which when the knights beheld, amazd they were, xlix And wondred at so fowle deformed wight. Such then (said _Vna_) as she seemeth here, Such is the face of falshood, such the sight Of fowle _Duessa_, when her borrowed light Is laid away, and counterfesaunce knowne. Thus when they had the witch disrobed quight, And all her filthy feature open showne, They let her goe at will, and wander wayes vnknowne. She flying fast from heauens hated face, l And from the world that her discouered wide, Fled to the wastfull wildernesse apace, From liuing eyes her open shame to hide, And lurkt[294] in rocks and caues long vnespide. But that faire crew of knights, and _Vna_ faire Did in that castle afterwards abide, To rest them selues, and weary powres repaire, Where store they found of all, that dainty was and rare. FOOTNOTES: [265] Arg. 3 _the Gyant_] _that Gyaunt_ _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._ [266] i 6 through] thorough _1590_ [267] iii 1 the] his _1590_ [268] v 8 stowre, _1590_, _1596_ [269] vii 6 wise] wist _1590_: _corr. F. E._ [270] viii 1 shonne _1590_ [271] x 3 aduantage _1590_ [272] xi 9 murmur ring] murmuring _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._ [273] xii 5 presumptuous _1609_ [274] xiv 4 inner] inward _1609_ [275] xv 3 nigh] night _1596_ [276] xviii 8 low _1590_, _1596_: lowe, _1609_ [277] xxi 1 amoou’d, _1590_, _1596_ [278] 5 their] his _Grosart_ [279] xxiv 5 store, _1596_: store: _1609_