They came vnto a Citie farre vp land, xxv The which whylome that Ladies owne had bene; But now by force extort out of her hand, By her strong foe, who had defaced cleene Her stately towres, and buildings sunny sheene; Shut vp her hauen, mard her marchants trade, Robbed her people, that full rich had beene, And in her necke a Castle huge had made, The which did her commaund, without needing perswade. That Castle was the strength of all that state, xxvi Vntill that state by strength was pulled downe, And that same citie, so now[356] ruinate, Had bene the keye of all that kingdomes crowne; Both goodly Castle, and both goodly Towne, Till that th’offended heauens list to lowre Vpon their blisse, and balefull fortune frowne. When those gainst states and kingdomes do coniure, Who then can thinke their hedlong ruine to recure. But he had brought it now in seruile bond, xxvii And made it beare the yoke of inquisition, Stryuing long time in vaine it to withstand; Yet glad at last to make most base submission, And life enioy for any composition. So now he hath new lawes and orders new Imposd on it, with many a hard condition, And forced it, the honour that is dew To God, to doe vnto his Idole most vntrew. To him he hath, before this Castle greene, xxviii Built a faire Chappell, and an Altar framed Of costly Iuory, full rich beseene, On which that cursed Idole farre proclamed, He hath set vp, and him his God hath named, Offring to him in sinfull sacrifice The flesh of men, to Gods owne likenesse framed, And powring forth their bloud in brutishe wize, That any yron eyes[357] to see it would agrize. And for more horror and more crueltie, xxix Vnder that cursed Idols altar stone[358] An hideous monster doth in darknesse lie, Whose dreadfull shape was neuer seene of none That liues on earth; but vnto those alone The which vnto him sacrificed bee. Those he deuoures, they say, both flesh and bone: What else they haue, is all the Tyrants fee; So that no whit of them remayning one may see. There eke he placed a strong garrisone, xxx And set a Seneschall of dreaded might, That by his powre oppressed euery one, And vanquished all ventrous knights in fight; To whom he wont shew all the shame he might, After that them in battell he had wonne. To which when now they gan approch in sight, The Ladie counseld him the place to shonne, Whereas so many knights had fouly bene fordonne.