Now lesse she feared that same fatall read,
That warned him of womens love beware:
Which being ment of mortal creatures sead,
For love of nymphes she thought she need not care,
But promist him, whatever wight she weare,
That she her love to him would shortly gaine:
So he her told but soone as she did heare
That Florimell it was which wrought his paine,
She gan afresh to chafe, and grieve in every vaine.
Yet since she saw the streight extremitie,
In which his life unluckily was layd,
It was no time to scan the prophecie,
Whether old Proteus true or false had sayd,
That his decay should happen by a mayd;
(It's late, in death, of daunger to advize;
Or love forbid him, that is life denayd;)
But rather gan in troubled mind devize
How she that ladies libertie might enterprize.
To Proteus' selfe to sew she thought it vaine,
Who was the root and worker of her woe;
Nor unto any meaner to complaine;
But unto great King Neptune selfe did goe,
And, on her knee before him falling lowe,
Made humble suit unto his maiestie
To graunt to her her sonnes life, which his foe,
A cruell tyrant, had presumpteouslie
By wicked doome condemn'd a wretched death to
To whom god Neptune, softly smyling, < Daughter! me seemes of double wrong ye plaine, 'Gainst one that hath both wronged you and us; For death t'adward I ween'd did appertaine
'To none but to the seas sole soveraine:
Read, therefore, who it is which this hath wrought, And for what cause; the truth discover plaine: For never wight so evill did or thought, • But would some rightfull cause pretend, though XXXI. [rightly nought.' To whom she answer'd, Then it is by name
Proteus, that hath ordayn'd my sonne to die;
For that a waift, the which by fortune came
Upon your seas, he claym'd as propertie :
And yet nor his, nor his in equitie,
But your's the waift by high prerogative:
"Therefore I humbly crave your maiestie
It to replevie, and my sonne reprive :
'So shall you by one gift save all us three alive.'
He graunted it: and streight his warrant made,
Under the sea-god's seale authenticall,
Commaunding Proteus straight t'enlarge the mayd,
Which wandring on his seas imperiall
He lately tooke, and sithence kept as thrall.
Which she receiving, with mete thankfulnesse,
Departed straight to Proteus therewithall:
Who, reading it with inward loathfulnesse,
Was grieved to restore the pledge he did possesse.
Yet durst he not the warrant to withstand,
But unto her delivered Florimell.
Whom she receiving by the lilly hand,
Admyr'd her beautie much, as she mote well,
For she all living creatures did excell;
And was right ioyous that she gotten had
So faire a wife for her sonne Marinell.
So home with her she straight the virgin lad,
And shewed her to him then being sore bestad.
Who soone as he beheld that angel's face
Adorn'd with all divine perfection,
His cheared heart eftsoones away gan chace
Sad death, revived with her sweet inspection,
And feeble spirit inly felt refection;
As withered weed through cruell Winter's tine,
That feeles the warmth of sunny beames reflection,
Liftes up his head that did before decline,
"And gins to spred his leafe before the faire sunshine.
Right so himselfe did Marinell upreare,
When he in place his dearest love did spy;
And though his limbs could not his body beare,
Ne former strength returne so suddenly,
Yet chearefull signes he shewed outwardly.
Ne lesse was she in secret hart affected,
But that she masked it with modestie,
For feare she should of lightnesse be detected:
Which to another place I leave to be perfected.
Printed by C. Merceir and Co. 6, Northumberland-court, Strand
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