At length a rifing city far I trace;
Thither in hopes my hafty steps I bend,
Perchaunce, thought I, true Virtue may embrace

The courtly dome, and from the country wend. Thus, where we leaft expect, we often find a friend. XIV.

At e'en the town I reach'd, and eke a hall,
Which waxen tapers made as light as day;
Fair jovifaunce fat on the face of all,

And to the daunce the sprightly minstrels play,
Each feem'd as fportive as the wanton jay.
The dame, who own'd the house, was paffing old,
And had, it feems, that morning dealt away
To her kind grandfon many bags of gold,
Who took a bonnibel to haven and to hold.

XV.

The bride was named Viola the fair,
The loaded rofiere is not half so sweet.
Aye, aye, quóth I, enfamples are but rare
To find fo many charms in one discreet ;
With you, fair lafs, I mean not now to treat.
The springal was in wholesome luftihed,
And him by name of Pamphilus they greet;
He was to doughty chevifance ybred,

Yet oft in courtly halls the active measure led.

XVI. The

XVI.

The auncient dame they do Avara call,
And much the hobbled as fhe trod the ground;
Yet many angels in her crumenal,

If fair report speaks true, were always found.
Where riches flow there virtues too abound.
Her pannikel was as a badger grey,

And, as she walk'd the company around,
It nodded with fuch force, that, by my fay,
I thought it meant to fly from her old crag away.

XVII.

The lofty roof was fretted o'er with gold,
And all around, the walls depeinten were
With many hiftories of times of old,

Which brought not muchel credit to the fair.
There Leda held her fwan, with fhoulders bare,
And here the dame of Ephefus was found,

Lick other dames, whom my kind tongue shall spare, And here stood Helen for her charms renown'd, Who foon her lord forfook, when she a leman found. XVIII.

And many a beauteous dame and courtly knight
Came there the nuptials to celebrate:

Some vers'd to wing from bow the nimble flight,
Some the near foe with brondir'n to amate;

Me

Me too they welcome to the hall of state;
With bel accoil they wished me to take

A round or two, and choose me out a mate :

But my fond love which nothing could aslake,

Caus'd me to flight them all, for Columbella's fake.
XIX.

And now to artful steps the floor rebounds,
In graceful ease the shining beavys move,
The noice like thunder at a distance sounds.
Mean time I fat beneath a proud alcove,
And told Avara gentle tales of love.
Thought I, in eld the paffions are more tame,
And here by craft I may fuccessful prove;
For fhe perforce muft now be void of blame
As wife Ulyffes' wife, Penelopé by name.

XX.

Ne wants fhe gelt, which oft the mind misleads To actions which it otherwife would fhun. The courtier lythe, if right report areeds, Will unawhap'd to feize his vantage run; And fo will most men underneath the fun, Or be they patriot call'd, or bard, or knight; But when they once the gilded prize have won, They seek to clear their name, with shame bedight: Befits to fcour the fteel, when ruft offends the fight.

XXI. At

XXI.

At every word I faid fhe look'd afkaunce,

Then faid, in unfoot whispers, Fye! Sir, fye!
And turn'd as though the feem'd to mind the daunce,
Nathlefs on me fhe cast a languid eye :
Blift by thy form, my liefeft life, quoth I,

Caft your belgards upon an humble slave;
From love, alass! in vain my heart would fly;
Then with a word thy quailing leman fave,

For if you frown, perdie, you doom me to the grave.
XXII.

It hap'd by chaunce the faw a golden heart
With flaming diamonds around befet;

This, the whole guerdon of my tedious smart,
I, on a time, from Columbel did get.

As fimple birds are caught in fowler's net,
And 'cause they see no danger none they fear,
Ev'n fo Avara her eyen here did set,

And turned round and whisper'd in mine ear,

Give me that di'mond heart, and be mine leman dear. XXIII.

I started from the couch where I was pight,

And thus I her befpake with muchel rage,
Avaunt, thou faytor falfe, thou imp of night!
I hate myself that I should thus engage,

On

On any terms to treat with wrizled age.

So, forth I flung, and left the frowy witch
To share her bed with coachman, groom or page;
The caftle too I quit, mine ire was fich,

And out I fet again, though night was dark as pitch.
XXIV.

But did I here relate, fir Satyrane,

The many weary miles I've travelled,

What dangers I've affoil'd, yet all in vain,
(For, by my truth, but ill my days I've sped)
Your hair would stand upright upon your head.
Three hundred virtuous females, fide by fide,
By me to Columbella must be led :

Can you direct me where for fuch to ride?

I cannot, in good footh, the courteous knight reply'd. XXV.

The Squire purfu'd his tale; 'Tis now three years

Since curft Avara's visage first I faw;

Convents I've try'd, but there the luscious freers

The fair-fac'd nuns to fornication draw;

Nor palaces are free from Cupid's law; His darts are fiercer than the levin-brond; Few, very few, there 'scape his mighty paw; And thofe in golden palls, who proudly stond, Had lever kifs their love's, than Kefar's royal hond. XXVI. Fair