University of Virginia Library

CANTO IX.

Assisted now by nimble winged Time,
Guy shapes his course for England, and doth leave
The bold adventures of each foreign Clime,
Love's just reward from Phælice to receive:
As Hercules twelve labours being past,
Found time for Dianert's love at last.
Heraud and Guy no sooner do arrive,
But news thereof unto the King was brought.
Who heard of all before they did atchieve;
Which made him much desirous in his thought
To see such subjects, matchless men alone,
In honouring England, and King Athelstone.
To York they go, for there the King was then,
To whom they did most humble duty show;
Welcome (quoth he) renowned Martial men;
My Princely love upon you I bestow;
Your fortunate success contentment breeds,
Fame came before and brought us home your deeds.
Guy, thou hast laid a heavy hand we hear
Upon the necks of Pagans, Infidels,
And sent them home by fatal Sword and Spear,
To horrors vault, where unbelievers dwell;
Devouring Beasts thou likewise hast destroy'd,
That human Creatures fearful have annoy'd.
Yet worthy man, I think thou ne'r did slay,
Of all those Monsters terrible and wild,
A creature more cruel, than at this day
Destroys what e're he meets, man, woman, child,
Cattle and all, which no man may withstand,
A dreadful Dragon in Northumberland.
I speak not this to animate thee on,
And hazard life at setting foot on shore;
For divers to destroy this beast have gone,
But to their Friends never returned more:
No, I express how happy thou hast been,
To free like fears that other men were in.
Dread Lord (quoth he) as I am English Knight,
And faithful unto God, true to my King.
I will go see if that same beast dare bite,
For to your Grace his head I mean to bring:
I found his fellow with a Lyon fighting,
And made him leave both scratching and his biting.
And as I dealt with him, I'le deal with this:
Only I do beseech your Royal Grace,
Command me some direction where he is,
And to your Court I'le bring his ugly face,
Or your mild savour let me never see;
Dragon or Devil whatsoe're he be.
So taking humble leave, away he rides
Unto Northumberland, to find the beast;
Having a dozen Knights which were his guides,
And brought him where the Dragon held his feast
Like Canibal, that feeds on flesh of men:
Behold (quoth they to Guy) yon Cave's his Den.
It is enough, said he, do you remain,
And leave me to go find out Hidra's head,
That never shall devour a man again,
Who with so many bodies have been fed:
Here Gentlemen if you will please to stay,
Sit on your Horses, and behold our fray.
Coming unto the Cave, the Dragon spies him,
And forth he stalks with lofty speckled brest
Of dreadful form: as soon as ere Guy eyes him,
His Launce he speedy set unto his wrest;
Then spurs to Horse, and then at Dragon makes,
That bearing ground at the encounter shakes.
Then very lightly Guy returns his Horse,
And comes upon him with redoubled might:
The Dragon meets him with resisting force,
And like a Reed, his Launce in two did bite:
Nay then (quoth Guy) if to such bites you fall,
I have a tool to pick your teeth withal.
Then drew his Sword (a keen and massie blade)
And fiercely struck with furious blows so fell,
That many wide and bloody wounds he made,
Which caus'd the Dragon yawn, like mouth of hell;
Roaring aloud with a most hideous sound,
And with his claws, all rent and tore the ground.
Impatient of the smart he did sustain,
He thought with wings to raise himself aloft,
But with a stroke Guy brought him down again,
And ply'd him with the edge of steel so oft,
That down he fell in dirty blood bewray'd;
And forth his wide devouring Oven bewray'd:
A slake of fire seemed to issue thence,
While Guy was hewing off his ugly head.
Now fiend (quoth he) thou hast thy recompence
For all the human blood thy jaws have shed;
Upon a part of this same broken spear,
Thy filthy face unto the King I'le bear.
The Knights (with joy exceeding) take a view
Of that same fearful creature, strange of shape:
Admiring at his ugly form of hiew,
With wonderment, that mortal could escape
Those teeth and claws, so dreadful, sharp and long,
Compos'd by nature in a Beast so strong.
When they had fix'd the head upon a spear,
And measur'd out the bodies length direct:
Unto the King at Lincoln, they it bear,
Who Guy's return with longing did expect.
God shield (quoth he) and save me from all evil,
Here is a face may well out-face the Devil.
What staring Eyes of burning-glass be those
That might (alive) two flaming beacons seem?
What scales of Harness arm that crooked nose
And teeth? none such had Cerberus I deem;
What yawning mouth, and forked tongue is there
That being dead, may make the living fear?
Victorious Knight, thy actions we admire,
And place thee highly in our Kingly love;
Throughout the spacious Orb thy Fame aspire,
More lofty than the Supream Sphere doth move:
To the succeeding ages of thy Land,
I will remember thy victorious Hand.
Which shall be thus, the Monster's picture wrought
On cloth of Arras artificial well;
And unto VVarwick we will have it brought,
There to remain, and after-ages tell,
That worthy Guy, a man of matchless strength,
Destroy'd a Dragon thirty foot in length.
And place his head here on the Castle wall,
For memory, till years do ruin it:
And Nobles make triumphant Festival,
Afford our Knight all honour doth befit;
Troy's Hector's dead, and can no more atcheive,
But England's Hector still remains alive.
By this report (the only Linguist living)
Hath been with Phælice, for to make her glad,
Such Fame and Glory to her Lover giving,
As never greater any Worthy had;
Tells all the deeds of wonder he hath done,
From the first action that his hand begun.
Phælice impatient of his wished sight,
Speeds towards Lincoln, like light Salmacis,
Where joyfully she entertains her Knight
With Juno's kind embrace, and Venus kiss:
Guy with requital makes his gladness known,
And in his arms he now enjoys his own.
Forgetful Love, and too to slow (quoth she)
I fear'd thou didst not mind thy dearest friend;
What, seek a Dragon, ere thou look for me;
And hazard life, before thou come or send
To know if I remain in happy state?
Some jealous woman would suppose 'twere hate.
But sure I do not, though I speak my heart,
And wish I had been first thou saw'st on shore:
Guy! Welcome to thy Phælice now thou art:
Thou never shalt go forth a fighting more:
No, thou hast fought too much, thy looks bewray
Stern countenance hath stoln thy smiles away.
But love will learn thee (Love) to change thy face;
And frame it as at first when I did chuse it;
'Thou hast almost forgotten to embrace;
I like that well, it seems thou didst not use it
In Foreign parts abroad, where thou hast been;
But that lost lesson thou must new begin.
I will (quoth he) dear Love, and ply my book,
And kiss my Lesson on thy Coral lip:
Tell me but only when I am mistook,
In reading rashly, if I over-skip,
Or be too negligent in taking pain,
Why turn me back to conn my gear again.
But Lady, one exception I will make,
What line soever you do put me to,
The Horn book of all other I'le forsake:
For willingly I would not have to do
With that Cross-row, cross upon many, when
Women doth teach it unto married men.
Kind Sir (quoth she) content, I'le never chuse it,
It fits two sorts, a Courtezan, a Child;
Once as the latter simply I did use it,
But for the other, rather be beguil'd,
Than to deceive, the second Horn-book's naught
Teach it not me, and it shall ne're be taught;
Guy smil'd and said, then let us Warwick see,
Of all the world the place that I love best,
Because it had the bringing up of thee;
And there first with thy beauty I was blest.
I love the Castle, and the Castle-Ground.
Where first thy Venus-face alone I found.
Let's hasten on to hear this sacred voice,
I Guy take Phelice to my wedded Wife;
And thou repeat, I likewise am thy choice,
Till death depart us, ev'n so long as life:
And then the next will be, God give us joy,
And send my Fathers Heir a gallant Boy.