ne, had
164 bene by an huge dragon many years shut vp in a brasen Castle,
165 who thence suffred them not to yssew: and therefore
166 besought the Faery Queene to assygne her some one of her
167 knights to take on him that exployt. Presently that clownish
168 person vpstarting, desired that aduenture: whereat the
169 Queene much wondering, and the Lady much gainesaying, yet
170 he earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the Lady told
171 him that vnlesse that armour which she brought, would serue
172 him (that is the armour of a Christian man specified by Saint
173 Paul v. Ephes.) that he could not succeed in that
174 enterprise, which being forthwith put vpon him with dewe
175 furnitures thereunto, he seemed the goodliest man in al that
176 company, and was well liked of the Lady. And eftesoones taking
177 on him knighthood, and mounting on that straunge Courser,
178 he went forth with her on that aduenture: where beginneth the
179 first booke, vz._
180
181 A gentle knight was pricking on the playne. &c.
182
183 _The second day ther came in a Palmer bearing an Infant
184 with bloody hands, whose Parents he complained to haue
185 bene slayn by an Enchaunteresse called Acrasia: and therfore
186 craued of the Faery Queene, to appoint him some knight, to
187 performe that aduenture, which being assigned to Sir
188 Guyon, he presently went forth with that same Palmer:
189 which is the beginning of the second booke and the whole
190 subiect thereof. The third day there came in, a Groome who
191 complained before the Faery Queene, that a vile Enchaunter
192 called Busirane had in hand a most faire Lady called Amoretta,
193 whom he kept in most grieuous torment, because she would
194 not yield him the pleasure of her body. Whereupon Sir
195 Scudamour the louer of that Lady presently tooke on him
196 that aduenture. But being vnable to performe it by reason of
197 the hard Enchauntments, after long sorrow, in the end met
198 with Britomartis, who succoured him, and reskewed his loue.
199 But by occasion hereof, many other aduentures are
200 intermedled, but rather as Accidents, then intendments. As
201 the loue of Britomart, the ouerthrow of Marinell, the misery
202 of Florimell, the vertuousnes of Belph{oe}be, the
203 lasciuiousnes of Hellenora, and many the like.
204 Thus much Sir, I haue briefly ouerronne to direct you