What is "chaunce"

Usage examples of "chaunce".

An hundred houses, and many large plaines are here together inhabited, more abundance of fish and fowle, and a pleasanter seat cannot be imagined: the King with fortie bowmen to guard me, intreated me to discharge my Pistoll, which they there presented me with a mark at six score to strike therewith but to spoil the practice I broke the cocke, whereat they were much discontented though a chaunce supposed.

And if that any drop of slombring restDid chaunce to still into her wearie spright,When feeble nature felt her selfe opprest,Streight way with dreames, and with fantasticke sightOf dreadfull things the same was put to flight,That oft out of her bed she did astart,As one with vew of ghastly feends affright:Tho gan she to renew her former smart,And thinke of that faire visage, written in her hart.

Thre strokes in the nekke he smoot hir tho, The tormentour, but for no maner chaunce He myghte noght smyte al hir nekke atwo.

The knights there entring, did him reuerence dewAnd wondred at his endlesse exercise,Then as they gan his Librarie to vew,And antique Registers for to auise,There chaunced to the Princes hand to rize,An auncient booke, hight Briton moniments,That of this lands first conquest did deuize,And old diuision into Regiments,Till it reduced was to one mans gouernments.

And he nay that he nolde neghe in no wyse Nauther golde ne garysoun, er God hym grace sende To acheue to the chaunce that he hade chosen there.

And by the way he chaunced to espyOne sitting idle on a sunny bancke,To whom auaunting in great brauery,As Peacocke, that his painted plumes doth prancke,He smote his courser in the trembling flancke,And to him threatned his hart-thrilling speare:The seely man seeing him ryde so rancke,And ayme at him, fell flat to ground for feare,And crying Mercy lowd, his pitious hands gan reare.

Which to behold, he clomb vp to the banke,And looking downe, saw many damned wights,In those sad waues, which direfull deadly stanke,Plonged continually of cruell Sprights,That with their pitteous cryes, and yelling shrights,They made the further shore resounden wide:Emongst the rest of those same ruefull sights,One cursed creature, he by chaunce espide,That drenched lay full deepe, vnder the Garden side.

In that same conflict (woe is me) befellThis fatall chaunce, this dolefull accident,Whose heauy tydings now I haue to tell.

And now he was in trauell on his way,Vppon an hard aduenture sore bestad,Whenas by chaunce he met vppon a dayWith Artegall, returning yet halfe sadFrom his late conquest, which he gotten had.

Vnlucky Squire (said Guyon) sith thou hastFalne into mischiefe through intemperaunce,Henceforth take heede of that thou now hast past,And guide thy wayes with warie gouernaunce,Least worse betide thee by some later chaunce.

T He ioyes of loue, if they should euer last,Without affliction or disquietnesse,That worldly chaunces doe amongst them cast,Would be on earth too great a blessednesse,Liker to heauen, then mortall wretchednesse.

Arriuing there, as did by chaunce befall,He found the gate wyde ope, and in he rode,Ne stayd, till that he came into the hall:Where soft dismounting like a weary lode,Vpon the ground with feeble feete he trode,As he vnable were for very needeTo moue one foote, but there must make abode.

But Glauce, seeing all that chaunced there,Well weeting how their errour to assoyle,Full glad of so good end, to them drew nere,And her salewd with seemely belaccoyle,Ioyous to see her safe after long toyle.