SIR GUYON, GUIDED BY THE PALMER TEMPERANCE, PASSES THE DANGERS OF THE BOWER OF BLISS.

WITH that the rolling sea resounding soft,
In his big base them fitly answered,
And on the rock the waves breaking aloft,
A solemn mean unto them measured;
The whiles sweet Zephyrus loud whistled
His treble, a strange kind of harmony,
Which Guyon's senses softly tickled,
That he the boatman bade row easily,

And let him hear some part of their rare melody.

But him the palmer from that vanity With temperate advice discounselled, That they it past, and shortly 'gan descry The land to which their course they levelled; When suddenly a gross fog overspread With his dull vapour all that desert has, And heaven's cheerful face enveloped, That all things one, and one as nothing was, And this great universe seem'd one confused mass. Thereat they greatly were dismay'd, ne wist How to direct their way in darkness wide, But fear'd to wander in that wasteful mist, For tumbling into mischief unespied : Worse is the danger hidden than descried. Suddenly an innumerable flight

Of harmful fowls about them fluttering cried, And with their wicked wings them oft did smite, And sore annoy'd, groping in that griesly night.

Even all the nation of unfortunate And fatal birds about them flocked were, Such as by nature men abhor and hate; The ill-faced owl, death's dreadful messenger; The hoarse night-raven, trump of doleful drear; The leather-winged bat, day's enemy; The rueful strich, still waiting on the bier; The whistler shrill, that whoso hears doth die ; The hellish harpies, prophets of sad destiny;

All those, and all that else does horror breed, About them flew, and fill'd their sails with fear : Yet stay'd they not, but forward did proceed, Whiles th' one did row, and th' other stiffly steer; Till that at last the weather gan to clear, And the fair land itself did plainly show. Said then the palmer, "Lo where does appear The sacred soil where all our perils grow, Therefore, Sir Knight, your ready arms about you throw."

He hearken'd, and his arms about him took, The whiles the nimble boat so well her sped, That with her crooked keel the land she struck; Then forth the noble Guyon sallied, And his sage palmer that him governed; But the other by his boat behind did stay. They marched fairly forth, of nought ydred, Both firmly arm'd for every hard assay, With constancy and care, gainst danger and dismay.

Ere long they heard an hideous bellowing Of many beasts, that roar'd outrageously. As if that Hunger's point, or Venus' sting, Had them enraged with fell surquedry; Yet nought they fear'd, but past on hardily, Until they came in view of those wild beasts, Who all at once, gaping full greedily, And rearing fiercely their upstarting crests, Ran towards to devour those unexpected guests.

But soon as they approach'd with deadly threat, The palmer over them his staff upheld, His mighty staff, that could all charms defeat; Eftsoons their stubborn courages were quell'd, And high-advanced crests down meekly fell'd: Instead of fraying they themselves did fear, And trembled, as them passing they beheld: Such wond'rous power did in that staff appear, All monsters to subdue to him that did it bear.

Of that same wood it framed was cunningly
Of which Caduceus whileome was made,
Caduceus, the rod of Mercury,

With which he wont the Stygian realms invade
Through ghastly horror and eternal shade;
Th' infernal fiends with it he can assuage,
And Orcus tame, whom nothing can persuade,
And rule the furies when they most do rage:
Such virtue in his staff had eke this palmer sage.

Thence passing forth, they shortly do arrive Whereat the Bower of Bliss was situate; A place pick'd out by choice of best alive, That Nature's work by art can imitate: In which whatever in this worldly state Is sweet and pleasing unto living sense, Or that may daintiest fantasy aggrate, Was poured forth with plentiful dispense, And made there to abound with lavish affluence.

Goodly it was, enclosed round about,
As well their enter'd guests to keep within,
As those unruly beasts to hold without;
Yet was the fence thereof but weak and thin;
Nought fear'd they force that fortilage to win,
But Wisdom's power, and Temperance's might,
By which the mightiest things efforced been:
And eke the gate was wrought of substance
light,

Rather for pleasure than for battery or fight.

It framed was of precious ivory,

That seem'd a work of admirable wit,
And therein all the famous history
Of Jason and Medæa was ywrit;

Her mighty charms, her furious loving fit,
His goodly conquest of the Golden Fleece,
His falsed faith, and love too lightly flit,

The wondered Argo, which, in venturous peace, First through the Euxine seas bore all the flower of Greece.

So she to Guyon offer'd it to taste : Who, taking it out of her tender hand, The cup to ground did violently cast, That all in pieces it was broken fond, And with the liquor stained all the land: Whereat Excess exceedingly was wroth, Yet no'te the same amend, ne yet withstand, But suffered him to pass, all were she lothe, Who, nought regarding her displeasure, forward goeth.

There the most dainty paradise on ground Itself doth offer to his sober eye, In which all pleasures plenteously abound, And none does other's happiness envy ; The painted flowers, the trees upshooting high; The dales for shade, the hills for breathing space; That trembling groves, the crystal running by ; And that which all fair works doth most aggrace, The art, which all that wrought, appeared in no place.

One would have thought, (so cunningly the rude
And scorned parts were mingled with the fine,)
That Nature had for wantonness ensude
Art, and that Art at Nature did repine ;
So striving each th' other to undermine,
Each did the other's work more beautify,
So differing both in wills agreed in fine:
So all agreed, through sweet diversity,
This garden to adorn with all variety.

And in the midst of all a fountain stood,
Of richest substance that on the earth might be,
So pure and shiny, that the silver flood
Through every channel running one might see:
Most goodly it with curious imagery

Was over-wrought, and shapes of naked boys,
Of which some seem'd, with lively jollity,
To fly about, playing their wanton toys,
Whilst others did themselves embay in liquid joys.

And over all of purest gold was spread A trayle of ivy in his native hue; For the rich metal was so coloured, That wight, who did not well advised it view, Would surely deem it to be ivy true: Low his lascivious arms adown did creep, That themselves, dipping in the silver dew Their fleecy flowers, they fearfully did steep, Which drops of crystal seem'd for wantonness to weep.

Infinite streams continually did well

Out of this fountain, sweet and fair to see,
The which into an ample laver fell,
And shortly grew to so great quantity,
That like a little lake it seem'd to be,
Whose depth exceeded not three cubits height,
That through the waves one might the bottom see,
All paved beneath with jasper, shining bright,
That seem'd the fountain in that sea did sail
upright.

On which when gazing him the palmer saw,
He much rebuked those wand'ring eyes of his,
And, counsell'd well, him forward thence did draw.
Now are they come nigh to the Bower of Bliss,
Of her fond favourites so named amiss;
When thus the palmer: "Now, Sir, well avise,
For here the end of all our travel is ;
Here wonnes Acrasia, whom we must surprise,
Else she will slip away, and all our drift despise."

Eftsoons they heard a most melodious sound,
Of all that mote delight a dainty ear,
Such as at once might not on living ground,
Save in this paradise, be heard elsewhere:
Right hard it was for wight which did it hear,
To rede what manner music that mote be;
For all that pleasing is to living ear,
Was there consorted in one harmony;
Birds, voices, instruments, winds, waters, all

agree.