And vnderneath this Idoll there doth lie xx An hideous monster, that doth it defend, And feedes on all the carkasses, that die In sacrifize vnto that cursed feend: Whose vgly shape none euer saw, nor kend, That euer scap’d: for of a man they say It has the voice, that speaches forth doth send, Euen blasphemous words, which she doth bray Out of her poysnous entrails, fraught with dire decay. Which when the Prince heard tell, his heart gan earne[366] xxi For great desire, that Monster to assay, And prayd the place of her abode to learne. Which being shew’d, he gan him selfe streight way Thereto addresse, and his bright shield display. So to the Church he came, where it was told, The Monster vnderneath the Altar lay; There he that Idoll saw of massy gold Most richly made, but there no Monster did behold. Vpon the Image with his naked blade xxii Three times, as in defiance, there he strooke; And the third time out of an hidden shade, There forth issewd, from vnder th’Altars smooke, A dreadfull feend, with fowle deformed looke, That stretcht it selfe, as it had long lyen still; And her long taile and fethers strongly shooke, That all the Temple did with terrour fill; Yet him nought terrifide, that feared nothing ill. An huge great Beast it was, when it in length xxiii Was stretched forth, that nigh fild all the place, And seem’d to be of infinite great strength; Horrible, hideous, and of hellish race, Borne of the brooding of _Echidna_ base, Or other like infernall furies kinde: For of a Mayd she had the outward face, To hide the horrour, which did lurke behinde, The better to beguile, whom she so fond did finde. Thereto the body of a dog she had, xxiv Full of fell rauin and fierce greedinesse; A Lions clawes, with powre and rigour clad, To rend and teare, what so she can oppresse; A Dragons taile, whose sting without redresse Full deadly wounds, where so it is empight; And[367] Eagles wings, for scope and speedinesse, That nothing may escape her reaching might, Whereto she euer list to make her hardy flight. Much like in foulnesse and deformity xxv Vnto that Monster, whom the Theban Knight, The father of that fatall progeny, Made kill her selfe for very hearts despight, That he had red her Riddle, which no wight Could euer loose, but suffred deadly doole. So also did this Monster vse like slight To many a one, which came vnto her schoole, Whom she did put to death, deceiued like a foole.