LV

The knight him selfe even trembled at
his fall,

So huge and horrible a masse it seemd;
And his deare Lady, that beheld it all,
Durst not approch for dread which she
misdeemd;

490

But yet at last, whenas the direfull feend

2 at once.

1 grew.

pierced. • force.

She saw not stirre, off-shaking vaine affright

She nigher drew, and saw that joyous end:

3 impetuous.

5 withdrawn.

7 broken.

And, rolling downe, great Neptune doth dismay; 485

So downe he fell, and like an heaped There, in a meadow, by the rivers side, mountaine lay.

A flocke of nymphes I chaunced to espy, 20
All lovely daughters of the flood thereby,
With goodly greenish locks all loose un-

IO

gemmes,

15

Fit to decke maydens bowres,
And crowne their paramours,

Against the brydale day, which is not
long:9

Sweete Themmes, runne softly, till I end my song.

tyde,
As each had bene a bryde:

And each one had a little wicker basket,
Made of fine twigs entrayled curiously, 25
In which they gathered flowers to fill their
flasket;

And with fine fingers cropt full feateously 10
The tender stalkes on hye.

8 rooty.

⚫ distant.

10 deftly.

And gentle Eccho from the neighbour ground

At length they all to mery London came,
To mery London, my most kyndly nurse,
That to me gave this lifes first native

sourse:

Though from another place I take my name,

130

An house of auncient fame.
There when they came, whereas those
bricky towres,

The which on Themmes brode aged backe
doe ryde,

Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers,

There whylome wont the Templer Knights to byde,

135

Till they decayd through pride:
Next whereunto there standes a stately
place,

Where oft I gayned giftes and goodly
grace

Of that great lord which therein wont to dwell,

Whose want too well now feeles my freendles case:

140

Their accents did resound.

So forth those joyous birdes did passe
along,
Adowne the lee, that to them murmurde
low,
As he would speake, but that he lackt a
tong,

115

And Hercules two pillors standing neere
Did make to quake and feare.

Yeat did by signes his glad affection show, Faire branch of honor, flower of chevalrie,
Making his streame run slow.
That fillest England with thy triumphes
And all the foule which in his flood did

But ah! here fits not well

Olde woes, but joyes to tell,
Against the bridale daye, which is not
long:

Sweete Themmes, runne softly, till I end
my song.

145

Yet therein now doth lodge a noble
peer,
Great Englands glory and the worlds wide.
wonder,

Whose dreadfull name late through all
Spaine did thunder,

fame,

Joy have thou of thy noble victorie,
And endlesse happinesse of thine owne

name

151

That promiseth the same:

That through thy prowesse and victorious

armes

155

Thy country may be freed from forraine
harmes;

And great Elisaes glorious name may
ring
Through al the world, fil'd with thy wide
alarmes,