25 Who went for to inquire straight
Of an enchanteress;
When, knocking at her iron gate,
Her answer it was this:
"The lady shall bring forth a son,
30 By whom, in tract of time,
Great noble actions shall be done;
He will to honour climb.
"For he shall be in banners wore;
This truth I will maintain;
35 Your lady, she shall die before
You see her face again."
His leave he took, and home he went;
His wife departed lay;
But that which did his grief augment,
40 The child was stole away.
Then did he travel in despair,
Where soon with grief he died;
While the young child, his son and heir,
Did constantly abide
45 With the wise lady of the grove,
In her enchanted cell;
Amongst the woods he oft did rove,
His beauty pleased her well.
Blinded with love, she did impart,
50 Upon a certain day,
To him her cunning magic art,
And where six Champions lay
Within a brazen castle strong,
By an enchanted sleep,
55 And where they had continued long;
She did the castle keep.
She taught and show'd him every thing
Through being free and fond;
Which did her fatal ruin bring;
60 For with a silver wand
He clos'd her up into a rock,
By giving one small stroke;
So took possession of her stock,
65 Those Christian Champions being freed
From their enchanted state,
Each mounted on his prancing steed,
And took to travel straight;
Where we will leave them to pursue
70 Kind fortune's favours still,
To treat of our own champion, who
Did courts with wonders fill.
For as he came to understand,
At an old hermit's cell,
75 How, in the vast Egyptian land,
A dragon fierce and fell
Threatened the ruin of them all,
By his devouring jaws,
His sword releas'd them from that thrall,
80 And soon remov'd the cause.
This dreadful dragon must destroy
A virgin every day,
Or else with stinks he'll them annoy,
And many thousands slay.
85 At length the king's own daughter dear,
For whom the court did mourn,
Was brought to be devoured here,
For she must take her turn.