XVI

Then Una thus; But she your sister deare,
  The deare Charissa where is she become? 
  Or wants she health, or busie is elsewhere? 
  Ah no, said they, but forth she may not come: 
  For she of late is lightned of her wombe, 140
  And hath encreast the world with one sonne more,
  That her to see should be but troublesome. 
  Indeed (quoth she) that should be trouble sore;
But thankt be God, and her encrease[*] so evermore.

XVII

Then said the aged Coelia, Deare dame, 145
  And you good Sir, I wote that of youre toyle,
  And labours long, through which ye hither came,
  Ye both forwearied be:  therefore a whyle
  I read you rest, and to your bowres recoyle. 
  Then called she a Groome, that forth him led 150
  Into a goodly lodge, and gan despoile
  Of puissant armes, and laid in easie bed;
His name was meeke Obedience rightfully ared.

XVIII

Now when their wearie limbes with kindly rest,
  And bodies were refresht with due repast, 155
  Faire Una gan Fidelia faire request,
  To have her knight into her schoolehouse plaste,
  That of her heavenly learning he might taste,
  And heare the wisedom of her words divine. 
  She graunted, and that knight so much agraste, 160
  That she him taught celestiall discipline,
And opened his dull eyes, that light mote in them shine.

XIX

And that her sacred Booke, with blood ywrit,
  That none could read, except she did them teach,
  She unto him disclosed every whit, 165
  And heavenly documents thereout did preach,
  That weaker wit of man could never reach,
  Of God, of grace, of justice, of free will,
  That wonder was to heare her goodly speach: 
  For she was able with her words to kill, 170
And raise againe to life the hart that she did thrill.

XX

And when she list[*] poure out her larger spright,
  She would commaund the hastie Sunne to stay,
  Or backward turne his course from heavens hight;
  Sometimes great hostes of men she could dismay; 175
  [Dry-shod to passe she parts the flouds in tway;[*]]
  And eke huge mountaines from their native seat
  She would commaund, themselves to beare away,
  And throw in raging sea with roaring threat. 
Almightie God her gave such powre, and puissaunce great. 180

XXI

The faithfull knight now grew in litle space,
  By hearing her, and by her sisters lore,
  To such perfection of all heavenly grace,
  That wretched world he gan for to abhore,
  And mortall life gan loath, as thing forlore, 185
  Greevd with remembrance of his wicked wayes,
  And prickt with anguish of his sinnes so sore,
  That he desirde to end his wretched dayes: 
So much the dart of sinfull guilt the soule dismayes.