ained through Savageness,
and a return to barbarism. Una is then taken from among the satyrs by
Satyrane, the son of a satyr and a "lady myld, fair Thyamis," (typifying
the early steps of renewed civilization, and its rough and hardy
character "nousled up in life and manners wilde,") who, meeting again
with Sans Loy, enters instantly into rough and prolonged combat with
him: showing how the early organization of a hardy nation must be
wrought out through much discouragement from Lawlessness. This contest
the poet leaving for the time undecided, returns to trace the adventures
of the Redcrosse Knight, or Godly Fear, who, having vanquished
Infidelity, presently is led by Falsehood to the house of Pride: thus
showing how religion, separated from truth, is first tempted by doubts
of God, and then by the pride of life. The description of this house of
Pride is one of the most elaborate and noble pieces in the poem; and
here we begin to get at the proposed system of Virtues and Vices. For
Pride, as queen, has six other vices yoked in her chariot; namely,
first, Idleness, then Gluttony, Lust, Avarice, Envy, and Anger, all
driven on by "Sathan, with a smarting whip in hand." From these lower
vices and their company, Godly Fear, though lodging in the house of
Pride, holds aloof; but he is challenged, and has a hard battle to fight
with Sans Joy, the brother of Sans Foy: showing, that though he has
conquered Infidelity, and does not give himself up to the allurements of
Pride, he is yet exposed, so long as he dwells in her house, to distress
of mind and loss of his accustomed rejoicing before God. He, however,
having partly conquered Despondency, or Sans Joy, Falsehood goes down to
Hades, in order to obtain drugs to maintain the power or life of
Despondency; but, meantime, the Knight leaves the house of Pride:
Falsehood pursues and overtakes him, and finds him by a fountain side,
of which the waters are

"Dull and slow,
And all that drinke thereof do faint and feeble grow."

Of which the meaning is, that Godly Fear, after passing through the
house of Pride, is exposed to drowsiness and feebleness of watch; as,
after Peter's boast, came Peter's sleeping, from weakness of the flesh,
and then, last of all, Peter's fall. And so it follows: for the
Redcrosse Knight, being overcome with faintness by drinking of the
fountain, is thereupon attacked by the giant Orgoglio, overcome and
thrown by him into a du