BOOK II

CANTO VII.

Guyon findes Mamon in a delve
sunning his threasure hore;
Is by him tempted, and led downe
To see his secret store.

II.

So Guyon, having lost his trustie guyde, Late left beyond that Ydle Lake, proceedes Yet on his way, of none accompanyde; And evermore himselfe with comfort feedes Of his own vertues and praise-worthie deedes. So, long he yode, yet no adventure found, Which Fame of her shrill trompet worthy reedes: For still he traveild through wide wastfull ground, That nought but desert wildernesse shewed all around.

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III.

At last he came unto a gloomy glade,

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Cover'd with boughes and shrubs from heavens light,
Whereas he sitting found in secret shade
An uncouth, salvage, and uncivile wight,
Of griesly hew and fowle ill-favour'd sight;

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His face with smoke was tand, and eies were bleard, His head and beard with sout were ill bedight, His cole-blacke hands did seeme to have ben seard In smythes fire-spitting forge, and nayles like clawes appeard.

IV.

His yron cote, all overgrowne with rust,
Was underneath enveloped with gold;

Whose glistering glosse darkened with filthy dust, 30
Well yet appeared to have beene of old

A worke of rich entayle and curious mould, Woven with antickes and wyld ymagery; And in his lap a masse of coyne he told, And turned upside downe, to feede his eye And covetous desire with his huge threasury.

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V.

And round about him lay on every side
Great heapes of gold that never could be spent;
Of which some were rude owre, not purifide
Of Mulcibers devouring element;

Some others were new driven, and distent
Into great Ingowes and to wedges square;
Some in round plates withouten moniment;
But most were stampt, and in their metal bare

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The antique shapes of kings and kesars stroung and

rare.

VI.

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Soone as he Guyon saw, in great affright
And haste he rose for to remove aside

Those pretious hils from straungers envious sight,
And downe them poured through an hole full wide
Into the hollow earth, them there to hide;

But Guyon, lightly to him leaping, stayd

His hand that trembled as one terrifyde;

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And though himselfe were at the sight dismayd, Yet him perforce restraynd, and to him doubtfull sayd:

VII.

"What art thou, Man, (if man at all thou art,) 55 That here in desert hast thine inhabitaunce,

And these rich hils of welth doest hide apart

From the worldes eye, and from her right usaunce?"

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Thereat, with staring eyes fixed askaunce, In great disdaine he answerd: "Hardy Elfe, That darest vew my direful countenaunce! I read thee rash and heedlesse of thy selfe, To trouble my still seate, and heapes of pretious pelfe.

VIII.

"God of the world and worldlings I me call,

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Great Mammon, greatest god below the skye,
That of my plenty poure out unto all,
And unto none my graces do envýe:
Riches, renowme, and principality,
Honour, estate, and all this worldes good,

For which men swinck and sweat incessantly,
Fro me do flow into an ample flood,

And in the hollow earth have their eternall brood.

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IX.

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"Wherefore, if me thou deigne to serve and sew, At thy commaund lo! all these mountaines bee; Or if to thy great mind, or greedy vew, All these may not suffise, there shall to thee Ten times so much be nombred francke and free." "Mammon," said he, "thy godheads vaunt is vaine, And idle offers of thy golden fee;

To them that covet such eye-glutting gaine Proffer thy giftes, and fitter servaunte entertaine.

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X.

"Me ill besits, that in derdoing armes

And honours suit my vowed daies do spend,

Unto thy bounteous baytes, and pleasing charmes, With which weake men thou witchest, to attend; 85

Regard of worldly mucke doth fowly blend,

And low abase the high heroicke spright,

That ioyes for crownes and kingdomes to contend; Faire shields, gay steedes, bright armes, be my

delight;

Those be the riches fit for an advent'rous knight." 90

XI.

"Vaine glorious Elfe," saide he, "doest not thou weet,

That money can thy wantes at will supply?

Shields, steeds, and armes, and all things for thee meet,

It can purvay in twinckling of an eye;

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And crownes and kingdomes to thee multiply. Doe not I kings create, and throw the crowne Sometimes to him that low in dust doth ly, And him that raignd into his rowme thrust downe, And whom I lust do heape with glory and renowne?"

XII.

"All otherwise," saide he, "I riches read,

And deeme them roote of all disquietnesse;

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First got with guile, and then preserv'd with dread, And after spent with pride and lavishnesse, Leaving behind them griefe and heavinesse: Infinite mischiefes of them doe arize; Strife and debate, bloodshed and bitternesse, Outrageous wrong and hellish covetize, That noble heart, in great dishonour, doth despize.

XIII.

"Ne thine be Kingdomes, ne the scepters thine; But realmes and rules thou doest both confound, 110 And loyall truth to treason doest incline:

Witnesse the guiltlesse blood pourd oft on ground;

The crowned often slaine; the slayer cround;
The sacred diademe in peeces rent,

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And purple robe gored with many a wound, Castles surprizd, great cities sackt and brent: So mak'st thou kings, and gaynest wrongfull government!

XIV.

"Long were to tell the troublous stormes that tosse
The private state, and make the life unsweet:
Who swelling sayles in Caspian sea doth crosse, 120
And in frayle wood on Adrian gulf doth fleet,
Doth not, I weene, so many evils meet."

Then Mammon wexing wroth: "And why then," sayd,

"Are mortall men so fond and undiscreet

So evill thing to seeke unto their ayd;

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And having not, complaine, and having it, upbrayd?"

XIX.

receave

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"Me list not," said the Elfin Knight, Thing offred, till I know it well be gott; Ne wote I but thou didst these goods bereave From rightfull owner by unrighteous lott, Or that blood-guiltinesse or guile them blott." "Perdy," quoth he, "yet never eie did vew, Ne tong did tell, ne hand these handled not; But safe I have them kept in secret mew From hevens sight and powre of al which them pour

sew."

XX.

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"What secret place," quoth he, "can safely hold
So huge a masse, and hide from heavens eie?
Or where hast thou thy wonne, that so much gold
Thou canst preserve from wrong and robbery?" 184