And now, difdaining parle, his courfer hot
He fiercely prick'd, and couch'd his vengeful fpear;
Where-with the GIANT he fo rudely fmot,
That him perforce constrain❜d to b wend arrear.
Who, much abash'd at fuch rebuke severe,
Yet his accuftom'd pride recov❜ring foon,
Forth-with his maffy fceptre 'gan up-rear;
For other warlike weapon he had none,
Ne other him behoved to quell his boldeft c fone.
XLVII.
With that enormous mace the FAIRY KNIGHT
So fore hed bet, that all his armour & bray'd,
To pieces well-nigh riven with the might
Of so tempestuous ftrokes: but He was ftay'd,
And ever with deliberate valour weigh'd
The fudden changes of the doubtful fray;
From cautious prudence oft deriving aid,
When force unequal did him hard affay:
So lightly from his fteed he leapt upon the lay.
XLVIII.
Then swiftly drawing forth his e trenchant blade,
High o'er his head he held his fenceful shield;
And warily fore-casting to evade
The GIANT's furious arm, about him wheel'd,
b Wend arrear, move backwards.
Bet, beat; bray'd, refounded: • Trenchant, cutting,
With restless steps aye traverfing the field.
And ever as his foe's intemperate pride,
Through rage defenceless, mote advantage yield,
With his sharp fword so oft he did him f gride,
That his gold-fandal'd feet in crimson floods were dyed.
XLIX.
His bafer parts he maim'd with many a wound;
But far above his utmost reach were 8 pight
The forts of life: ne ever to confound
With utter ruin, and abolish quite
A power so puiffant by his fingle might
Did he prefume to hope: Himfelf alone.
From lawless force to free, in bloody fight
He stood; content to bow to CUSTOM's throne,
SO REASON mote not blush his sovran rule to own.
So well he warded, and fo fiercely prefs'd
His foe, that weary wex'd he of the fray;
Yet h nould he algates lower his haughty creft;
But marking in contempt his fore difmay,
Disdainfully releas'd the trembling prey,
As one unworthy of his princely care:
Then proudly cafting on the warlike i fay
A smile of fcorn and pity, through the air
'Gan blow his fhrilling horn; the blast was heard afar.
f Gride, cut, hack. g Pight, placed.
he algates, would not by any means.
Eftfoons aftonish'd at th' alarming found,
The fignal of distress and hostile wrong,
Confufedly trooping from all quarters round,
Came pouring o'er the plain a numerous throng
Of
every fex and order, old and young;
The vaffals of great CUSTOM's wide domain,
Who to his lore inur'd by usage long,
His every fummons heard with pleasure fain,
And felt his every wound with sympathetick pain.
LII.
They, when their bleeding king they did behold,
And faw an armed KNIGHT him ftanding near,
Attended by that Palmer fage and bold;
Whofe vent'rous fearch of devious Truth while-ear
Spread through the realms of Learning horrors drear,
Y-feized were at firft with terrors great;
And in their boding hearts began to fear,
Diffention factious, controverfial hate,
And innovations ftrange in CUSTOM's peaceful flate.
But when they faw the KNIGHT his fauchion fheathe,
And climbing to his fteed march thence away,
With all his hoftile train, they 'gan to breathe
With freer spirit, and with aspect gay
Soon chaced the gathering clouds of black affray.
Alfe their great monarch, cheared with the view
Of myriads, who confefs his fovran fway,
His ruffled pride began to plume anew;
And on his bugle clear a strain of triumph blew.
LIV.
There-at the multitude, that stood around,
Sent up at once a univerfal roar,
Of boisterous joy: the fudden-bursting found,
Like the explosion of a warlike store
Of nitrous grain, th' afflicted welkin tore.
Then turning towards the KNIGHT, with fcoffings lewd, Heart-piercing infults, and revilings fore,
Loud bursts of laughter vain, and hiffes rude,
As through the throng he pafs'd, his parting steps pursued.
Alfe from that forked hill the boasted seat
Of ftudious Peace, and mild Philofophy,
Indignant murmurs mote be heard to threat,
Mustering their rage; eke baleful Infamy,
Rouz'd from her den of base obscurity
By those fame Maidens Nine, began to found
Her brazen trump of black'ning obloquy:
While Satire, with dark clouds encompaft round,
Sharp, fecret arrows fhot, and aim'd his back to wound.
But the brave FAIRY KNIGHT no whit dismay'd
Held on his peaceful journey o'er the plain;
With curious eye obferving, as he stray'd
Through the wide provinces of CUSTOM's reign,
What mote afresh admonish him remain
Faft by his virtuous purpose; all around
So many objects mov'd his just disdain ;
Him feem'd that nothing serious, nothing found
In city, village, bow'r, or caftle mote be found.
LVII.
In village, city, castle, bow'r and hall,
Each fex, each age, each order and degree,
To vice and idle sport abandon'd all,
Kept one perpetual general jubilee.
Ne fuffered ought disturb their merry glee;
Ne fenfe of private lofs, ne publick woes,
Reftraint of law, Religion's drad decree,
Inteftine defolation, foreign foes,
Nor heav'n's tempeftuous threats, nor earth's convulfive
But chiefly they whom Heav'n's difpofing hand
Had feated high on Fortune's upper stage;
And plac'd within their call the facred band
That waits on Nature and Inftruction fage,
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