First gan he tell, how this that seem’d so faire xl And royally arayd, _Duessa_ hight That false _Duessa_, which had wrought great care, And mickle mischiefe vnto many a knight, By her beguyled, and confounded quight: But not for those she now in question came, Though also those mote question’d be aright, But for vyld treasons, and outrageous shame, Which she against the dred _Mercilla_ oft did frame. For she whylome (as ye mote yet right well xli Remember) had her counsels false conspyred, With faithlesse _Blandamour_ and _Paridell_, (Both two her paramours, both by her hyred, And both with hope of shadowes vaine inspyred,) And with them practiz’d, how for to depryue _Mercilla_ of her crowne, by her aspyred, That she might it vnto her selfe deryue, And tryumph in their blood, whom she to death did dryue. But through high heauens grace, which fauour not xlii The wicked driftes of trayterous desynes, Gainst loiall Princes, all this cursed plot, Ere proofe it tooke, discouered was betymes, And th’actours won the meede meet for their crymes. Such be the meede of all, that by such mene Vnto the type of kingdomes title clymes. But false _Duessa_ now vntitled Queene, Was brought to her sad doome, as here was to be seene. Strongly did _Zele_ her haynous fact enforce, xliii And many other crimes of foule defame Against her brought, to banish all remorse, And aggrauate the horror of her blame. And with him to make part against her, came Many graue persons, that against her pled; First was a sage old Syre, that had to name The _Kingdomes care_, with a white siluer hed, That many high regards and reasons gainst her red. Then gan _Authority_ her to appose[341] xliv With peremptorie powre, that made all mute; And then the law of _Nations_ gainst her rose, And reasons brought, that no man could refute; Next gan _Religion_ gainst her to impute High Gods beheast, and powre of holy lawes; Then gan the Peoples cry and Commons sute, Importune care of their owne publicke cause; And lastly _Iustice_ charged her with breach of lawes. But then for her, on the contrarie part, xlv Rose many aduocates for her to plead: First there came _Pittie_, with full tender hart, And with her ioyn’d _Regard_ of womanhead; And then came _Daunger_ threatning hidden dread, And high alliance vnto forren powre; Then came _Nobilitie_[342] of birth, that bread Great ruth through her misfortunes tragicke stowre; And lastly _Griefe_[343] did plead, and many teares forth powre.