With that my shield I forth to her did show, lv Which all that while I closely had conceld[194]; On which when _Cupid_ with his killing bow And cruell shafts emblazond she beheld, At sight thereof she was with terror queld, And said no more: but I which all that while The pledge of faith, her hand engaged held, Like warie[195] Hynd within the weedie soyle, For no intreatie would forgoe so glorious spoyle. And euermore vpon the Goddesse face lvi Mine eye was fixt, for feare of her offence, Whom when I saw with amiable grace To laugh at[196] me, and fauour my pretence, I was emboldned with more confidence, And nought for nicenesse nor for enuy sparing, In presence of them all forth led her thence, All looking on, and like astonisht staring, Yet to lay hand on her, not one of all them daring. She often prayd, and often me besought, lvii Sometime with tender teares to let her goe, Sometime with witching smyles: but yet for nought, That euer she to me could say or doe, Could she her wished freedome fro me wooe; But forth I led her through the Temple gate, By which I hardly past with much adoe: But that same Ladie which me friended late In entrance, did me also friend in my retrate. No lesse did _Daunger_[197] threaten me with dread, lviii When as he saw me, maugre all his powre, That glorious spoyle of beautie with me lead, Then _Cerberus_, when _Orpheus_ did recoure His Leman from the Stygian Princes boure. But euermore my shield did me defend, Against the storme of euery dreadfull stoure: Thus safely with my loue I thence did wend. So ended he his tale, where I this Canto end. FOOTNOTES: [169] Arg. 1 _conqust_ _1596_ [170] ii 8 Since] Sith _1609_ [171] vii 8 nanner _1596_ [172] 9 maintaine, _1596_ [173] ancients _1596_ [174] ix 1 yearne _1609 passim_ [175] xvii 5 award _1609_ [176] xix 1 meanest] nearest _1596_ [177] 2 disdeigning _1609_ [178] xxiii 2 ghesse] bee _1596_ (_Malone 616_), _1609_ [179] 8 bee] ghesse _1596_ (_Malone 616_), _1609_ [180] xxv 1 all eyes _1596_ [181] dight, _1596_, _1609_ [182] xxvi 9 aspire] inspire _1611_ [183] xxvii 1 _Hyllus_ _1596_: _Hylus_ _1609_. _Cf._ III xii 7, l. 9 [184] 7 tyde, _1596_, _1609_ [185] 8 friendship _1596_ [186] xxxi 9 adowne _1609_ [187] xxxv 6 hell] hele _or_ mell _conj. edd._ [188] xxxvi 3 loue _1596_: Loue _1609_ [189] xxxvii 9 may _1596_ [190] xxxviii 7 bathe _1609_ [191] xl 5 forlore _1596_ [192] xlii 6 elder _1609_ [193] li 9 girlonds] gardians _conj. Church_: guerdons _conj. Collier_ [194] lv 2 conceald _1609_ [195] 8 warie] wearie _conj. Upton_ [196] lvi 4 at] on _1609_ [197] lviii 1 daunger _1596_: danger _1609_ _Cant. XI._ [Illustration: