1245 1246 1247 LANCELOT OVERTHROWN BY HIS OWN KIN THEY HEY couched their spears and pricked their steeds and thus, their plumes driven backwards by the wind they made bare, as a wild wave in the wide North-sea, THE A. TENNYSON 'HEN with a rushing sound, th' assembly bend the royal dome: whilst sad the Prince explores there, as the waters o'er his hands he shed, 'O Goddess! who descending from the skies MAMMON YOR was his name unheard or unadored, NOR in ancient Greece: and in Ausonian land dropt from the zenith like a falling star, fell long before: nor aught availed him now to have built in Heaven high towers, nor did he 'scape by all his engines, but was headlong sent with his industrious crew to build in Hell. J. MILTON 1248 CAMBELL AND CAMBELLO ONG while they then continued in that wize, LON as if but then the battell had begonne: strokes, wounds, wards, weapons, all they did despise ; ne which of them did winne, ne which were wonne; that life itselfe seemd loathsome, and long safetie ill. Whilst thus the case in doubtfull ballance hong, unsure to whether side it would incline, and all mens eyes and hearts, which there among stood gazing, filled were with rufull tine and secret feare, to see their fatall fine; all suddenly they heard a troublous noyes, that seemd some perilous tumult to desine, confused with womens cries and shouts of boyes, such as the troubled theatres ofttimes annoyes. E. SPENSER 1249 I1 THE IDLE LAKE T was a chosen plott of fertile land, as if it had by Natures cunning hand bene choycely picked out from all the rest, no dainty flowre or herbe that growes on grownd, and smelling sweete, but there it might be fownd, to bud out faire, and her sweete smels throwe al arownd. No tree, whose braunches did not bravely spring; Trees, braunches, birds, and songs, were framéd fitt for to allure fraile mind to carelesse ease. Carelesse the man soone woxe, and his weake witt was overcome of thing that did him please; so pleased did his wrathfull purpose faire appease. 1250 E. SPENSER THE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN ARTEGALL AND RADIGUND HE trumpets sounded, and the field began; She at the first encounter on him ran, with furious rage, as if she had intended out of his breast the very heart have rended; but he, that had like tempests often tride, from the first flaw himselfe right well defended. The more she raged, the more he did abide; she hewd, she foynd, she lasht, she laid on every side. Yet still her blows he bore, and her forbore yet still her crueltie increased more and, though powre faild, her courage did accrew; which fayling, he gan fiercely her pursew: like as a smith, that to his cunning feat soon as he feells it mollifide with heat, with his great yron sledge doth strongly on it beat. 1251 ARTEGALL DISARMS RADIGUND E. SPENSER HAVING her thus disarmed of her shield, upon her helmet he againe her strooke, that downe she fell upon the grassie field in sencelesse swoune, as if her life forsooke, and pangs of death her spirit overtooke: whom when he saw before his foote prostrated, he to her lept with deadly dreadfull looke, and her sun-shynie helmet soone unlaced, thinking at once both head and helmet to have raced. But, when as he discovered had her face, like as the moone, in foggie winters night, doth seeme to be herselfe, though darkned be her light. At sight thereof his cruell minded hart that his sharpe sword he threw from him apart, By this, upstarting from her swoune she star'd like one that from his dreame is wakéd suddenlye. E. SPENSER 1252 Now MEMNON TO ACHILLES OW shalt thou surely fall beneath my might, wretch! who hast slain the bravest youths of Troy, boasting that thou of heroes art the chief, and from a Nereid born; but thou to-day rear'd in their bowers beside the ocean-streams. to Gods and men, who in the gift rejoice, low in the sunless caverns of the sea amid the wallowing fishes; therefore I deem her most worthless, when compared to them who tread th' Olympian floor. A. DYCE 1253 1254 SHEPH CLOE'S SUIT TO THENOT HEPHERD, I pray thee stay. Where hast thou been? Or whither goest thou? Here be woods as green as where smooth Zephyrus plays on the fleet for thy long fingers; tell thee tales of love,— J. FLETCHER THE THREE CHAMPIONS OF ROME AGAINST PORSENA M EANWHILE the Tuscan army, came flashing back the noonday light, Four hundred trumpets sounded a peal of warlike glee, as that great host, with measured tread, The Three stood calm and silent, from all the vanguard rose: and forth three chiefs came spurring |