There by th’vncertaine glims of starry night, xlviii And by the twinkling of their sacred fire, He mote perceiue a litle dawning sight Of all, which there was doing in that quire: Mongst whom a woman spoyld of all attire He spyde, lamenting her vnluckie strife, And groning sore from grieued hart entire, Eftsoones he saw one with a naked knife Readie to launch her brest, and let out loued life. With that he thrusts into the thickest throng, xlix And euen as his right hand adowne descends, He him preuenting, layes on earth along, And sacrifizeth to th’infernall feends. Then to the rest his wrathfull hand he bends, Of whom he makes such hauocke and such hew, That swarmes of damned soules to hell he sends: The rest that scape his sword and death eschew, Fly like a flocke of doues before a Faulcons vew. From them returning to that Ladie backe, l Whom by the Altar he doth sitting find, Yet fearing death, and next to death the lacke Of clothes to couer, what they[539] ought by kind, He first her hands beginneth to vnbind; And then to question of her present woe; And afterwards to cheare with speaches kind. But she for nought that he could say or doe, One word durst speake, or answere him a whit[540] thereto. So inward shame of her vncomely case li She did conceiue, through care of womanhood, That though the night did couer her disgrace, Yet she in so vnwomanly a mood, Would not bewray the state in which she stood. So all that night to him vnknowen she past. But day, that doth discouer bad and good, Ensewing, made her knowen to him at last: The end whereof Ile keepe vntill another cast. FOOTNOTES: [521] iii 8 entreat _1596_ [522] xi 5 wield _1609_ [523] 9 two] tow _1596_ [524] xv 3 powned _1609_ [525] xvii 6 From] For _1596_ [526] xxii 2 account _1609_ [527] xxvi 4 with all _1596_ [528] xxviii 3 vnwieldy _1609_ [529] xxxii 4 nought. _1596_ [530] xxxiv 1 plaints, _1596_ [531] xxxviii 5 since] sith _1609_ [532] xxxix 4 daintiest _1609_ [533] xl 3 hollowing _1609_ [534] xli 2 iewls _1596_ [535] xlii 4 sides _1596_, _1609_ [536] xlv 9 aloud _1609_ [537] xlvii 3 toyle _1609_ [538] 6 lost] tost _Drayton_ (_teste Collier_) [539] l 4 they] shee _1609_ [540] 9 awhit _1596_, _1609_ _Cant. IX._ [Illustration: _Calidore hostes with Melibœ and loues fayre Pastorell; Coridon enuies him, yet he for ill rewards him well._ ]