But by the change of her vnchearefull looke, xviii They might perceiue, she was not well in plight; Or that some pensiuenesse to heart she tooke. Therefore thus one of them, who seem’d in sight To be the greatest, and the grauest wight, To her bespake; Sir Knight it seemes to me, That thorough euill rest of this last night, Or ill apayd, or much dismayd ye be, That by your change of cheare is easie for to see. Certes (sayd she) sith ye so well haue spide xix The troublous passion of my pensiue mind, I will not seeke the same from you to hide, But will my cares vnfolde, in hope to find Your aide, to guide me out of errour blind. Say on (quoth he) the secret of your hart: For by the holy vow, which me doth bind, I am adiur’d, best counsell to impart To all, that shall require my comfort in their smart. Then gan she to declare the whole discourse xx Of all that vision, which to her appeard, As well as to her minde it had recourse. All which when he vnto the end had heard, Like to a weake faint-hearted man he fared, Through great astonishment of that strange sight; And with long locks vp-standing, stifly stared Like one adawed with some dreadfull spright. So fild with heauenly fury, thus he her behight. Magnificke Virgin, that in queint disguise xxi Of British armes doest maske thy royall blood, So to pursue a perillous emprize, How couldst[314] thou weene, through that disguized hood, To hide thy state from being vnderstood? Can from th’immortall Gods ought hidden bee? They doe thy linage, and thy Lordly brood; They doe thy sire, lamenting sore for thee; They doe thy loue, forlorne in womens thraldome see. The end whereof, and all the long euent, xxii They doe to thee in this same dreame discouer. For that same Crocodile doth represent The righteous Knight, that is thy faithfull louer, Like to _Osyris_ in all iust endeuer. For that same Crocodile _Osyris_ is, That vnder _Isis_ feete doth sleepe for euer: To shew that clemence oft in things amis, Restraines those sterne behests, and cruell doomes of his. That Knight shall all the troublous stormes asswage, xxiii And raging flames, that many foes shall reare, To hinder thee from the iust heritage Of thy sires Crowne, and from thy countrey deare. Then shalt thou take him to thy loued fere, And ioyne in equall portion of thy realme. And afterwards a sonne to him shalt beare, That Lion-like shall shew his powre extreame. So blesse thee God, and giue thee ioyance of thy dreame.