22
Eftsoones out of her hidden caue she cald
An hideous beast, of horrible aspect,
That could the stoutest courage haue appald;
Monstrous mishapt, and all his backe was spect
With thousand spots of colours queint elect,
Thereto so swift, that it all beasts did pas:
Like neuer yet did liuing eye detect;
But likest it to an Hyena was,
That feeds on womens flesh, as others feede on gras.

23
It forth she cald, and gaue it streight in charge,
Through thicke and thin her to pursew apace,
Ne once to stay to rest, or breath at large,
Till her he had attaind, and brought in place,
Or quite deuourd her beauties scornefull grace.
The Monster swift as word, that from her went,
Went forth in hast, and did her footing trace
So sure and swiftly, through his perfect scent,
And passing speede, that shortly he her ouerhent.

24
Whom when the fearefull Damzell nigh espide,
No need to bid her fast away to flie;
That vgly shape so sore her terrifide,
That it she shund no lesse, then dread to die,
And her flitt Palfrey did so well apply
His nimble feet to her conceiued feare,
That whilest his breath did strength to him supply,
From perill free he her away did beare:
But when his force gan faile, his pace gan wex areare.

aspect-the appearance presented by an object to the eye.
monstrous-of things material and immaterial; unnatural
spect- to look or face a certain way; short pronunciation of expect or suspect
spots- a small disfiguring mark; a moral stain, blot, blemish or stigma of disgrace
queint- skilled, clever; cunning crafty
Hyena-applied to cruel and treacherous and rapacious person; a South African canine animal
streight-well conducted person; virtuous and chase woman
overhent-to lay hold upon; to overtake
flitt- contest or struggle; to remove or transport, to take away
wex-to disturb by physical movement; to agitate, work, belabour or tear up
areare- to keep back; allow to fall behind.

25
Which whenas she perceiu'd, she was dismayd
At that same last extremitie full sore,
And of her safetie greatly grew afrayd;
And now she gan approch to the sea shore,
As it befell, that she could flie no more,
But yield her selfe to spoile of greedinesse.
Lightly she leaped, as a wight forlore,
From her dull horse, in desperate distresse,
And to her feet betooke her doubtfull sickernesse.

26
Not halfe so fast the wicked Myrrha fled
From dread of her reuenging fathers hond:
Nor halfe so fast to saue her maidenhed,
Fled fearefull Daphne on th'Ægæan strond,
As Florimell fled from that Monster yond,
To reach the sea, ere she of him were raught:
For in the sea to drowne her selfe she fond,
Rather then of the tyrant to be caught:
Thereto feare gaue her wings, and neede her courage taught.

27
It fortuned (high God did so ordaine)
As she arriued on the roring shore,
In minde to leape into the mighty maine,
A little boate lay houing her before,
In which there slept a fisher old and pore,
The whiles his nets were drying on the sand:
Into the same she leapt, and with the ore
Did thrust the shallop from the floting strand:
So safetie found at sea, which she found not at land.

wight-supernatural or unearthly beings; a human being (after implying contempt)
sickerness-state of being secure; free from danger or harm
Myrrha-Adonis’ mother and sister committed incest with her father
Daphne-daughter of Peneus, refused love, wanted no lovers, rejected Apollo
Ægæan-a sea between Greece and Asia Minor
strond-form of strand; a stream or brook; a sheet of water
yond-furious savage
raught-to reach, snatch at or after
roring-turning over, stirring about or up, to cause trouble
maine-of the boat; possibly the object aimed at; the purpose
hoving-to hover; remain in a suspended or floating; to lie at anchor
shallop-a boat propelled by oars, or by sail for use in shallow waters

28
The Monster ready on the pray to sease,
Was of his forward hope deceiued quight;
Ne durst assay to wade the perlous seas,
But greedily long gaping at the sight,
At last in vaine was forst to turne his flight,
And tell the idle tidings to his Dame:
Yet to auenge his deuilish despight,
He set vpon her Palfrey tired lame,
And slew him cruelly, ere any reskew came.

quight-the act of distracting the bull from a man or horse by means of elaborate cape work
durst-dare
assay- to try
tidings-something that happens; and event incident or occurence

Commentary