LXIV

Then shall I soone (quoth he) so God me grace,
  Abet that virgins cause disconsolate,
  And shortly backe returne unto this place, 570
  To walke this way in Pilgrims poore estate. 
  But now aread, old father, why of late
  Didst thou behight me borne of English blood,
  Whom all a Faeries sonne doen nominate? 
  That word shall I (said he) avouchen good, 575
Sith to thee is unknowne the cradle of thy blood.

LXV

For well I wote thou springst from ancient race
  Of Saxon kings, that have with mightie hand
  And many bloody battailes[*] fought in place
  High reard their royall throne in Britane land, 580
  And vanquisht them, unable to withstand: 
  From thence a Faerie thee unweeting reft,
  There as thou slepst in tender swadling band,
  And her base Elfin brood there for thee left. 
Such men do Chaungelings[*] call, so chang’d by Faeries theft. 585

LXVI

Thence she thee brought into this Faerie lond,
  And in an heaped furrow did thee hyde,
  Where thee a Ploughman all unweeting fond,
  As he his toylesome teme that way did guyde,
  And brought thee up in ploughmans state to byde 590
  Whereof Georgos[*] he gave thee to name;
  Till prickt with courage, and thy forces pryde,
  To Faerie court thou cam’st to seeke for fame,
And prove thy puissaunt armes, as seemes thee best became.

LXVII

O holy Sire (quoth he) how shall I quight 595
  The many favours I with thee have found,
  That hast my name and nation red aright,
  And taught the way that does to heaven bound? 
  This said, adowne he looked to the ground,
  To have returnd, but dazed were his eyne 600
  Through passing brightnesse, which did quite confound
  His feeble sence and too exceeding shyne. 
So darke are earthly things compard to things divine.

LXVIII

At last whenas himselfe he gan to find,
  To Una back he cast him to retire; 605
  Who him awaited still with pensive mind. 
  Great thankes and goodly meed to that good syre
  He thence departing gave for his paines hyre. 
  So came to Una, who him joyd to see,
  And after little rest, gan him desire 610
  Of her adventure mindfull for to bee. 
So leave they take of Coelia, and her daughters three.

* * * * *

CANTO XI

The knight with that old Dragon fights
two dayes incessantly;
The third him overthrowes, and gayns
most glorious victory.

I