Then beautie, which was made to represent xxxii The great Creatours owne resemblance bright, Vnto abuse of lawlesse lust was lent, And made the baite of bestiall delight: Then faire grew foule, and foule grew faire in sight, And that which wont to vanquish God and man, Was made the vassall of the victors might; Then did her glorious flowre wex dead and wan, Despisd and troden downe of all that ouerran. And now it is so vtterly decayd, xxxiii That any bud thereof doth scarse remaine, But if few plants preseru’d through heauenly ayd, In Princes Court doe hap to sprout againe, Dew’d with her drops of bountie Soueraine, Which from that goodly glorious flowre proceed, Sprung of the auncient stocke of Princes straine, Now th’onely remnant of that royall breed, Whose noble kind at first was sure of heauenly seed. Tho soone as day discouered heauens face xxxiv To sinfull men with darknes ouerdight, This gentle crew gan from their eye-lids chace The drowzie humour of the dampish night, And did themselues vnto their iourney dight. So forth they yode, and forward softly paced, That them to view had bene an vncouth sight; How all the way the Prince on footpace traced, The Ladies both on horse, together fast embraced. Soone as they thence departed were afore, xxxv That shamefull Hag, the slaunder of her sexe, Them follow’d fast, and them reuiled sore, Him calling theefe, them whores; that much did vexe His noble hart; thereto she did annexe False crimes and facts, such as they neuer ment, That those two Ladies much asham’d did wexe: The more did she pursue her lewd intent, And rayl’d and rag’d, till she had all her poyson spent. At last when they were passed out of sight, xxxvi Yet she did not her spightfull speach forbeare, But after them did barke, and still backbite, Though there were none her hatefull words to heare: Like as a curre doth felly bite and teare The stone, which passed straunger at him threw; So she them seeing past the reach of eare, Against the stones and trees did rayle anew, Till she had duld the sting, which in her tongs end grew. They passing forth kept on their readie way, xxxvii With easie steps so soft as foot could stryde, Both for great feeblesse, which did oft assay Faire _Amoret_, that scarcely she could ryde, And eke through heauie armes, which sore annoyd The Prince on foot, not wonted so to fare; Whose steadie hand was faine his steede to guyde, And all the way from trotting hard to spare, So was his toyle the more, the more that was his care.