CAP. XXXV. HOWE HE VAINQUYSHED A GYAUNT WITH SEVEN HEADES, AND WAS RECEIVED OF VI. LADYES. When mornyng came, up anone I rose, And armed me as fast as I myght, Forth for to travaile unto my purpose. I toke my leave and on my stede I lyght; Thankyng dame Comforte of her chere that nyght; So, with Perceveraunce, in my company, Forth on the way we rode full merely Over the hethe, tyll we sawe from farre A royall castell ryght strongly fortified, Bulwarkes about accustomed for warre; On a craggy roche it was so edified, Walled with gate so clerely purified, To whiche we rode, and drewe nere and nere, Till in our syght did openly appeare A myghty gyaunt, xv. fote of length, With heades seven, and armed full sure; He semed well to be a man of strength. Then quod Perceveraunce: Ye must put in ure This daye your power, in honour to endure, Against this gyaunt your mortall enemy. Be of good cheare, you shall have victory. Besydes this gyaunt, upon every tree I did se hang many a goodly shelde Of noble knyghtes, that were of hye degre, Whiche he had slayne and murdred in the fielde. From farre this gyaunt I ryght well behelde; And towarde hym as I rode my waye, On his first head I sawe a banner gay, Wherin was written Dissimulation, Whose nature false is full of flatery, That, onder a fayned commendacion, Can cloke a mocke and fraude full subtilly; So doth he love deceyve oft pryvely, For the blinde love doth perceyve ryght nought That under hony the poyson is wrought. And on the seconde heade was a banner blewe, In whiche was written, in letters ryght white, Delay my name is, that can long eschue As true lover with my fatall respite, That love for love shall not him acquite; For evermore I lye oft in a wayte, Love to delay and cast hym from consayte. On the thirde head, in a banner square, All of reade was wrytten Discomfort, Causyng a lover for to drowne in care, That he of love shall have no report, But loke hye his hart to transport, And I my selfe shall him so assayle That he in love shall nothyng prevayle. On the fourth head, on the helmet crest There was a stremer ryght white, large and long, Wheron was written with vyse of the best, My name is Variaunce, that ever among The mynde of love doth chaunge with great wrong, That a true lover can not be certayne Love for his mede right stedfast to retayne. And yet aloft on the fift helmet In a blacke banner was written Envy, Whose hart ever inwardly is fret When Graund Amour should attayne his lady. He museth oft in hym selfe inwardly, To let the lady for to set her harte On Graund Amour for to release his smarte.