LII
Yet since thou bidst, thy pleasure shal be donne.
460
Then come thou man of earth, and see the
way,
That never yet was seene of Faeries sonne,
That never leads the traveiler astray,
But after labors long, and sad delay,
Brings them to joyous rest and endlesse
blis. 465
But first thou must a season fast and
pray,
Till from her bands the spright assoiled
is,
And have her strength recur’d from fraile infirmitis.
LIII
That donne, he leads him to the highest Mount;
Such one as that same mighty man[*] of
God, 470
That blood-red billowes[*] like a walled
front
On either side disparted with his rod,
Till that his army dry-foot through them
yod,
Dwelt forty dayes upon; where writ in
stone
With bloudy letters by the hand of God,
475
The bitter doome of death and balefull
mone
He did receive, whiles flashing fire about him shone.
LIV
Or like that sacred hill,[*] whose head full hie,
Adornd with fruitfull Olives all arownd,
Is, as it were for endlesse memory
480
Of that deare Lord who oft thereon was
fownd,
For ever with a flowring girlond crownd:
Or like that pleasaunt Mount,[*] that
is for ay
Through famous Poets verse each where
renownd,
On which the thrise three learned Ladies
play 485
Their heavenly notes, and make full many a lovely
lay.
LV
From thence, far off he unto him did shew
A litle path, that was both steepe and
long,
Which to a goodly Citie[*] led his vew;
Whose wals and towres were builded high
and strong 490
Of perle and precious stone, that earthly
tong
Cannot describe, nor wit of man can tell;
Too high a ditty for my simple song;
The Citie of the great king hight it well,
Wherein eternall peace and happinesse doth dwell.
495
LVI
As he thereon stood gazing, he might see
The blessed Angels to and fro descend
From highest heaven in gladsome companee,
And with great joy into that Citie wend,
As commonly as friend does with his frend.
500
Whereat he wondred much, and gan enquere,
What stately building durst so high extend
Her loftie towres unto the starry sphere,
And what unknowen nation there empeopled were.
LVII
Faire knight (quoth he) Hierusalem that is,
505
The new Hierusalem, that God has built
For those to dwell in, that are chosen
his,
His chosen people purg’d from sinfull
guilt
With pretious blood, which cruelly was
spilt
On cursed tree, of that unspotted lam,
510
That for the sinnes of al the world was
kilt:
Now are they Saints all in that Citie
sam,
More dear unto their God then younglings to their
dam.