And after thys farther forth me brought Dame Countenaunce into a goodly hall: Of jasper stones it was wonderly wrought The wyndowes cleare, depured all of crystall, And in the roufe on hye over all Of golde was made a ryght crafty vyne; In stede of grapes the rubies there did shyne. The flore was paved with berall clarified, With pillers made of stones precious, Like a place of pleasure so gayely glorified, It might be called a palaice glorious, So muche delectable and solacious. The hall was hanged, hye and circuler, With cloth of arras in the rychest maner, That treated well of a ful noble story, Of the doubty waye to the tower perillous; Howe a noble knyght should wynne the victory Of many a serpente fowle and odious: And the first matter then appeared thus; Howe at a venture and by sodayne chaunce He met with Fame by fortunes purveyaunce. Whiche did hym shewe of the famous pulcritude Of La Bell Pucell so cleare in beauty, Excellyng all other in every similitude; Nature her favoured so muche in degree. When he heard this, with fervent amytie, Accompanied with Grace and Governaunce, He toke his waye without encombraunce Unto the ryght famous tower of learnyng, And so from thence unto the tower of chyvalry, Where he was made knight the noble kyng Called Melizeus, well and worthely; And furthermore it sheweth full notably Upon the arras imbrodred all of blewe, What was his name with letters all of Grewe. Thus with his verlet he toke on his waye To the perillous tower and sytuation, Metyng Folye, as he rode on his journey, Ryding on a mare by great illusion; After whom ensued fast Correction, And in her hande a strong knotted whippe; At every yarke she made hym for to skyppe. And then Correction brought La Graund Amour Unto the tower, whereas he myght well se Divers men makyng ryght great dolour, That defrauded women by their duplicitie; Yet before this in perfite certaintie, As the arras well did make relacion, In Venus temple be made his oblacion. After whiche he mette an hydeous gyaunt Havyng thre heades of marveylous kynde; With his great strokes he did hym daunt, Castyng hym downe under the lynde, With force and myght he did hym bynde, Strikyng of his heades then everychone, That of all thre heades he left not one. This terryble gyant yet had a brother, Whiche Graunde Amoure destroyed also, Having foure heades more then the other, That unto hym wrought mikel wo; But he slewe sone his mortall foe, Whiche was a great gyaunt with heades seven. To marveylous nowe for me to neven. Yet moreover he put to utteraunce A venemous beast of sundry likenes, Of divers beastes of ryght great mischaunce Wherof the picture bare good wytnes; For by his power and his hye worthynes He did discomfyte the wonderous serpente Of the seven metals, made by enchauntment.