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'And oft his hoarie locks downe doth cast, 'Where with my fresh flowretts bene defast: 'For this, and many more such outrage, 'Craving your goodlihead 3 to aswage 'The ranckorous rigour of his might, 'Nought aske I, but onely to hold my right: 'Submitting me to your good sufferance, 'And praying to be garded from greevance.' To this the Oake cast him to replie Well as he couth 4; but his enemie Had kindled such coles of displeasure, That the good man noulde 5 stay his leasure, But home him hasted with furious heate, Encreasing his wrath with many a threate. His harmefull Hatchet he hent 6 in hand, (Alas, that it so ready should stand !) And to the field alone he speedeth, (Ay little helpe to harme there needeth!) Anger nould let him speake to the tree, Enaunter his rage mought cooled bee; But to the roote bent his sturdy stroke, And made many wounds in the wast Oake. The Axes edge did oft turne againe,

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1 grief then 3 goodness could 5 would not 6 seized 7 lest perchance vast 8

As halfe unwilling to cutte the graine:
Semed, the sencelesse yron dyd feare,
Or to wrong holy eld did forbeare.
For it had bene an auncient tree,
Sacred with many a mysteree,

And often crost with the priestes crewe,
And often halowed with holy water dewe. 210
But sike1 fancies weren foolerie,

And broughten this Oake to this miserye. For nought mought they quitten him from decay:

For fiercely the good man at him did laye.
The blocke oft gronèd under the blow,
And sighed to see his neare overthrow.
In fine, the steele had pierced his pitth:
Tho 2 downe to the earth he fell forthwith:
His wonderous weight made the grounde to
quake,

Thearth shronke vnder him, and seemed to shake.

There lyeth the Oake, pitied of none.

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Now stands the Brere like a Lord alone, Puffed up with pryde and vaine pleasaunce. But all this glee had no continuance; For eftsones Winter gan to approche, The blustering Boreas did encroche, And beate upon the solitarie Brere: For nowe no succoure was seene him nere.5 Now gan he repent his pryde to late; For naked left and disconsolate, The byting frost nipt his stalke dead, The watrie wette weighed downe his head, And heaped snowe burdned him so sore, That nowe upright he can stand no more: And being downe, is trodde in the durt Of cattell, and brouzed, and sorely hurt. Such was thend of this Ambitious brere, For scorning Eld

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CUD. Now I pray thee, shepheard, tel it not forth:

Upon a lowly Asse more white then snow, Yet she much whiter; but the same did 30

hide Under a vele,1 that wimpled 2 was full low; And over all a blacke stole 3 shee did throw: As one that inly mournd, so was she sad, And heavie sate upon her palfrey slow; Seemed in heart some hidden care she had, And by her, in a line, a milkewhite lambe she lad.5

V

So pure and innocent, as that same lambe, She was in life and every vertuous lore; And by descent from Royall lynage came Of ancient Kinges and Queenes, that had of yore

Their scepters stretcht from East to Westerne shore,

4I

And all the world in their subjection held; Till that infernall feend with foule uprore Forwasted all their land, and them expeld; Whom to avenge she had this Knight from far compeld.

VI

Behind her farre away a Dwarfe did lag,
That lasie seemd, in being ever last,
Or wearied with bearing of her bag

Of needments at his backe. Thus as they past,

The day with cloudes was suddeine overcast, And angry Jove an hideous storme of raine Did poure into his Lemans lap so fast 52 That everie wight to shrowd it did con

strain;

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And this faire couple eke to shroud themselves were fain.10

VII

Enforst to seeke some covert nigh at hand,
A shadie grove not farr away they spide,
That promist ayde the tempest to with-
stand;

Whose loftie trees, yclad with sommers pride,

Did spred so broad that heavens light did hide,

3

4 cord,

1 veil 2 folded a long outer garment or rope led devastated 7 sweetheart's (= earth's) 9 also

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cover

10

glad