— 7—

1. Canto, V. 74 f. erzählt wird, daß sie ausgezogen sei, um den edlen Artegall zu suchen, den sie in einem Zauberspiegel erblickt hat, und der, wie sie am Grabe Merlins erfahren hat, ihr zum Gatten bestimmt ist.

Ferner mögen unserm Dichter für das Angeführte folgende Verse der F. Q. vor-

geschwebt haben ¹): „Therein three sisters dwelt of sundry Sort, The children of one sire by mothers three, Who dying whylome did diuide this fort To them by equall shares in equall fee: But strifull minde, and diuerse qualitee Drew them in parts, and each made others foe: Still did they striue, and dayly disagree, The eldest did against the youngest goe, And both against the middest meant to worken woe.

Where when the Rnight²) arrina'd, he was right well Receiu'd, as Rnight of so much worth became,

Of second sister, who did far excell

The other two, Medina was her name,

A sober sad, and comely curteous Dame,

Who rich arayd, and yet in modest guize,

In goodly garments, that her well became,

Faire marching forth in honorable wise,

Him at the threshold met, und well did enterprize.

She led him dvp into a goodly bowre,

And comely courted with meet modestie,

Ne in her speach, ne in her hauiour,

Was lightnesse seene, or looser vanitie,

But gratious womanhood, and grauitie,

Aboue the reason of her youthly yeares:

Her golden loches she roundly did vptvye

In breaded tramels, that no looser heares

Did out of order stray about her daintie eares.

Whilest she her selfe thus busily did frameè,

Seemely to entertaine her new-come guest,

Newes hereof to her other sisters came,

Who all this while were at their wanton rest, Accourting each her friend with lauish fest:

They were two Rnights of perelesse puissaunce,

And famous far abroad for warlike gest,

Which to these Ladies loue did countenaunce,

And to his mistresse each himselfe stroue to aduaunce.

He that made loue vnto the eldest Dame, Was hight Sir Huddribras, an hardy man?, Fet not so good of deedes, as great of name, ¹) F. Q., 2. Buch, Gesang 2, V. 114—167. 2) Der„knight“ ist Sir Guyon, dessen Aufgabe es ist, den Wollusttempel Arcasias zu zerstören.