soust in swelling Tethys saltish teare And long time hauing tand his tawney hide With blustring breath of heauen that none can bide And scorching flames of fierce Orions hound Soone as the port from farre he has espide His chearefull whistle merrily doth sound And Nereus crownes with cups his mates him pledg around Such ioy made Vna when her knight she found And eke th' enchaunter ioyous seemd no lesse Then the glad marchant that does vew from ground His ship farre come from watrie wildernesse He hurles out vowes and Neptune oft doth blesse So forth they past and all the way they spent Discoursing of her dreadfull late distresse In which he askt her what the Lyon ment Who told her all that fell in iourney as she went They had not ridden farre when they might see One pricking towards them with hastie heat Full strongly armd and on a courser free That through his fiercenesse fomed all with swear And the sharpe yron did for anger eat When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side His looke was sterne and seemed still to threat Cruell reuenge which he in hart did hyde And on his shield Sans loy in bloudie lines was dyde When nigh he drew vnto this gentle payre And saw the Red-crosse which the knight did beare He burnt in fire and gan eftsoones prepare Himselfe to battell with his couched speare Lo thwas that other and did faint through fea To taste th'vntryed dint of deadly steele But yet his Lady did so well him cheare That hope of new goodhap he gan to feele So bent his speare and spurnd his horse with yron heele But that proud Paynim forward came so fierce And full of wrath that with his sharp-head speare Through vainely crossed shield he quite did pierce And had his staggering steede not shrunke for feare Through shield and bodie eke he should him beare Yet so great was the puissance of his push That from his saddle quite he did him beare He tombling rudely downe to ground did rush And from his gored wound a well of bloud did gush Dismounting lightly from his loftie steed He to him lept in mind to reaue his life And proudly said Lo there the worthie meed Of him that slew Sansfoy with bloudie knife Henceforth his ghost freed from repining strife In peace may passen ouer Lethe lake When morning altars purgd with enemies life The blacke infernall Furies doen aslake Life from Sansfoy thou tookst Sansloy shall frō thee take Therewith in haste his helmet gan vnlace Till Vna cride O hold that heauie hand Deare Sir what euer that thou be in place Enough is that thy foe doth vanquisht stand Now at thy mercy Mercie not withstand For he is one the truest knight aliue Though conquered now he lie on lowly land And whilest him fortune fauourd faire did thriue In bloudie field therefore of life him not depriue Her piteous words might not abate his rage But rudely rending vp his helmet would Haue slaine him straight but when he sees his age And hoarie head of Archimago old His hastie hand he doth amazed hold And halfe ashamed wondred at the sight For the old man well knew he though vntold In charmes and magicke to haue wondrous might Ne euer wont in field ne in round lists to fight And said Why Archimago lucklesse syre What doe I see what hard mishap is this That hath thee hither brought to taste mineyre Or thine the fault or mine the error is In stead of foe to wound my friend amis He answered nought but in a traunce still lay And on those guilefull dazed eyes of his The cloud of death did sit Which doen away He left him lying so ne would no lenger stay But to the virgin comes who all this while Amased stands her selfe so mockt to see By him who has the guerdon of his guile For so misfeigning her true knight to bee Yet is she now in more perplexitie Left in the hand of that same Paynim bold From whom her booteth not at all to flie Who by her cleanly garment catching hold Her from her Palfrey pluckt her visage to behold But her fierce seruant full of kingly awe And high disdaine whenas his soueraine Dame So rudely handled by her foe he sawe With gaping iawes full greedy at him came And ramping on his shield did weene the same Haue reft away with his sharpe rending clawes But he was stout and lust did now inflame His corage more that frō his griping pawes He hath his shield redeem'd and foorth his swerd he drawes O then too weake and feeble was the forse Of saluage beast his puissance to withstand For he was strong and of so mightie corse As euer wielded speare in warlike hand And feates of armes did wisely vnderstand Eftsoones he perced through his chaufed chest With thrilling point of deadly yron brand And launcht his Lordly hart with death opprest He roar'd aloud whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest Who now is left to keepe the forlorne maid From raging spoile of lawlesse victors will Her faithfull gard remou'd her hope dismaid Her selfe a yeelded pray to saue or spill He now Lord of the fied his pride to fill With foule reproches and disdainfull spight Her vildly entertaines and will or nill Beares her away vpon his courser light Her prayers nought preuaile his rage is more of might And all the way with great lamenting paine And piteous plaints she filleth his dull eares That stony hart could riuen haue in twaine And all the way she wets with flowing teares But he enrag'd with rancor nothing heares Her seruile beast yet would not leaue her so But followes her farre off ne ought he feares To be partaker of her wandring woe More mild in beastly kind then that her beastly foe Cant. IIII To sinfull house of Pride Duessa guides the faithfull knight Where brothers death to wreak Sansioy doth chalenge him to fight YOung knight what euer that dost armes professe And through long labours huntest after fame Beware of fraud beware of ficklenesse In choice and change of thy deare loued Dame Least thou of her beleeue too lightly blame And rash misweening doe thy hart remoue For vnto knight there is no greater shame Then lightnesse and inconstancie in loue That doth this Redcrosse knights ensample plainly proue Who after that he had faire Vna lorne Through light misdeeming of her loialtie And false Duessa in her sted had borne Called Fidess ' and so supposd to bee Long with her traueild till at last they see A goodly building brauely garnished The house of mightie Prince it seemd to bee And towards it a broad high way that led All bare through peoples feet which thither traueiled Great troupes of people traueild thitherward Both day and night of each degree and place But few returned hauing scaped hard With balefull beggerie or foule disgrace Which euer after in most wretched case Like loathsome lazars by the hedges lay Thither Duessa bad him bend his pace
he himselfe himselfe loath'd so forlorne So shamefully forlorne of womankind That as a Snake still lurked in his wounded mind Still fled he forward looking backward still Ne stayd his flight nor fearefull agony Till that he came vnto a rockie hill Ouer the sea suspended dreadfully That liuing creature it would terrify To looke adowne or vpward to the hight From thence he threw himselfe dispiteously All desperate of his fore-damned spright That seem'd no helpe for him was left in liuing sight But through long anguish and selfe-murdring thought He was so wasted and forpined quight That all his substance was consum'd to nought And nothing left but like an aery Spright That on the rockes he fell so flit and light That he thereby receiu'd no hurt at all But chaunced on a craggy cliff to light Whence he with crooked clawes so long did crall That at the last he found a caue with entrance small Into the same he creepes and thenceforth there Resolu'd to build his balefull mansion In drery darkenesse and continuall feare Of that rockes fall which euer and anon Threates with huge ruine him to fall vpon That he dare neuer sleepe but that one eye Still ope he keepes for that occasion Ne euer rests he in tranquillity The roring billowes beat his bowre so boystrously Ne euer is he wont on ought to feed But toades and frogs his pasture poysonous Which in his cold complexion do breed A filthy bloud or humour rancorous Matter of doubt and dread suspitious That doth with curelesse care consume the hart Corrupts the stomacke with gall vitious Croscuts the liuer with internall smart And doth transfixe the soule with deathes eternall dart Yet can he neuer dye but dying liues And doth himselfe with sorrow new sustaine That death and life attonce vnto him giues And painefull pleasure turnes to pleasing paine There dwels he euer miserable swaine Hatefull both to him selfe and euery wight Where he through priuy griefe and horrour vaine Is woxen so deform'd that he has quight Forgot he was a man and Gealosie is hight Cant. XI Britomart chaceth Ollyphant findes Scudamour distrest Assayes the house of Busyrane where Loues spoyles are exprest O Hatefull hellish Snake what furie furst Brought thee from balefull house of Proserpine Where in her bosome she thee long had nurst And fostred vp with bitter milke of tine Fowle Gealosie that turnest loue diuine To ioylesse dread and mak'st the louing hart With hatefull thoughts to languish and to pine And feed it selfe with selfe-consuming smart Of all the passions in the mind thou vilest art O let him far be banished away And in his stead let Loue for euer dwell Sweet Loue that doth his golding wings embay In blessed Nectar and pure Pleasures well Vntroubled of vile feare or bitter fell And ye faire Ladies that your kingdomes make In th'harts of men them gouerne wisely well And of faire Britomart ensample take That was as trew in loue as Turtle to her make Who with Sir Satyrane as earst ye red Forth ryding from Malbeccoes hostlesse hous Far off aspyde a young man the which fled From an huge Geaunt that with hideous And hatefull outrage long him chaced thus It was that Ollyphant the brother deare Of that Argante vile and vitious From whom the Squire of Dames was rest why lere This all as bad as she and worse if worse ought were For as the sister did in feminine And filthy lust exceede all woman kind So he surpassed his sex masculine In beastly vse that I did euer find Whom when as Britomart beheld behind The fearefull boy so greedily pursew She was emmoued in her noble mind T' employ her puissaunce to his reskew And pricked fiercely forward where she him did vew Ne was Sir Satyrane her far behinde But with like fiercenesse did ensew the chace Whom when the Gyaunt saw he sooone resinde His former suit and from them fled apace They after both and boldly bad him bace And each did striue the other to out-goe But he them both outran a wondrous space For he was long and swift as any Roe And now made better speed t' escape his feared foe It was not Satyrane whom he did feare But Britomart the flowre of chastity For he the powre of chast hands might not beare But alwayes did their dread encounter fly And now so fast his feet he did apply That he has gotten to a forrest neare Where he is shrowded in security The wood they enter and search euery where They searched diuersely so both diuided were Faire Britomart so long him followed That she at last came to a fountaine sheare By which there lay a knight all wallowed Vpon the grassy ground and by him neare His haberieon his helmet and his speare A little off his shield was rudely throwne On which the winged boy in colours cleare Depeincted was full easie to be knowne And he thereby where euer it in field was showne His face vpon the ground did groueling ly As if he had bene slombring in the shade That the braue Mayd would not for courtesy Out of his quiet slomber him abrade Nor seeme too suddeinly him to inuade Still as she stood she heard with grieuous throb Him grone as if his hart were peeces made And with most painefull pangs to sigh and sob That pitty did the Virgins hart of patience rob At last forth breaking into bitter plaintes He said ô soueraigne Lord that sit'st on hye And raignst in blis emongst thy blessed Saintes How suffrest thou such shamefull cruelty So long vnwreaked of thine enimy Or hast thou Lord of good mens cause no heed Or doth thy iustice sleepe and silent ly What booteth then the good and righteous deed If goodnesse find no grace nor righteousnesse no meed If good find grace and righteousnesse reward Why then is Amoret in caytiue band Sith that more bounteous creature neuer far'd On foot vpon the face of liuing land Or if that heauely iustice may withstand The wrongfull outrage of vnrighteous men Why then is Busirane with wicked hand Suffred these seuen monethes day in secret den My Lady and my loue so cruelly to pen My Lady and my loue is cruelly pend In dolefull darkenesse from the vew of day Whilest deadly torments do her chast brest rend And the sharpe steele doth riue her hart in tway All for she Scudamore will not denay Yet thou vile man vile Scudamore art sound Ne canst her ayde ne canst her foe dismay Vnworthy wretch to tread vpon the ground For whom so faire a Lady feeles so sore a wound There an huge heape of singulfes did oppresse His strugling soule and swelling throbs empeach His foltring toung with pangs of drerinesse Choking the remnant of his plaintife speach As if his dayes were come to their last reach Which when she heard and saw the ghastly fit Threatning into his life to make a breach Both with great ruth and terrour she was smit Fearing least from her cage the wearie soule
brother did ellope streight way Who taking her from me his owne loue left astray She seeing then her selfe forsaken so Through dolorous despaire which she conceyued Into the Sea her selfe did headlong throw Thinking to haue her griefe by death bereaued But see how much her purpose was deccaued Whilest thus amidst the billowes beating of her Twixt life and death long to and fro she weaued She chaunst vnwares to light vppon this coffer Which to her in that daunger hope of life did offer The wretched mayd that earst desir'd to die When as the paine of death she tasted had And but halfe seene his vgly visnomie Gan to repent that she had beene so mad For any death to chaunge life though most bad And catching hold of this Sea-beaten chest The lucky Pylot of her passage sad After long tossing in the seas distrest Her weary barke at last vppon mine Isle did rest Where I by chaunce then wandring on the shore Did her espy and through my good endeuour From dreadfull mouth of death which threatned sore Her to haue swallow'd vp did helpe to saue her She then in recompence of that great fauour Which I on her bestowed bestowed on me The portion of that good which Fortune gaue her Together with her selfe in dowry free Both goodly portions but of both the better she Yet in this coffer which she with her brought Great threasure sithence we did finde contained Which as our owne we tooke and so it thought But this same other Damzell since hath fained That to her selfe that threasure appertained And that she did transport the same by sea To bring it to her husband new ordained But suffred cruell shipwracke by the way But whether it be so or no I can not say But whether it indeede be so or no This doe I say that what so good or ill Or God or Fortune vnto me did throw Not wronging any other by my will I hold mine owne and so will hold it still And though my land he first did winne away And then my loue though now it little skill Yet my good lucke he shall not likewise pray But I will it defend whilst euer that I may So hauing sayd the younger did ensew Full true it is what so about our land My brother here declared hath to you But not for it this ods twixt vs doth stand But for this threasure throwne vppon his strand Which well I proue as shall appeare by triall To be this maides with whom I fastned hand Known by good markes and perfect good espiall Therefore it ought be rendred her without deniall When they thus ended had the Knight began Certes your strife were easie to accord Would ye remit it to some righteous man Vnto your selfe said they we giue our word To bide what iudgement ye shall vs afford Then for assuraunce to my doome to stand Vnder my foote let each lay downe his sword And then you shall my sentence vnderstand So each of them layd downe his sword out of his hand Then Artegall thus to the younger sayd Now tell me Amidas if that ye may Your brothers land the which the sea hath layd Vnto your part and pluckt from his away By what good right doe you withhold this day What other right quoth he should you esteeme But that the sea it to my share did lay Your right is good sayd he and so I deeme That what the sea vnto you sent your own should seeme Then turning to the elder thus he sayd Now Bracidas let this likewise be showne Your brothers threasure which from him is strayd Being the dowry of his wife well knowne By what right doe you claime to beyour owne What other right quoth he should you esteeme But that the sea hath it vnto me throwne Your right is good sayd he and so I deeme That what the sea vnto you sent your own should seeme For equall right in equall things doth stand For what the mighty Sea hath once possest And plucked quite from all possessors hand Whether by rage of waues that neuer rest Or else by wracke that wretches hath distrest He may dispose by his imperiall might As thing at randon left to whom he list So Amidas the land was yours first hight And so the threasure yours is Bracidas by right When he his sentence thus pronounced had Both Amidas and Philtra were displeased But Bracidas and Lucy were right glad And on the threasure by that iudgement seased So was their discord by this doome appeased And each one had his right Then Artegall When as their sharpe contention he had ceased Departed on his way as did befall To follow his old quest the which him forth did call So as he trauelled vppon the way He chaunst to come where happily he spide A rout of many people farre away To whom his course he hastily applide To weete the cause of their assemblaunce wide To whom when he approched neare in sight An vncouth sight he plainely then descride To be a troupe of women warlike dight With weapons in their hands as ready for to fight And in the midst of them he saw a Knight With both his hands behinde him pinnoed hard And round about his necke an halter tight As ready for the gallow tree prepard His face was couered and his head was bar'd That who he was vneath was to descry And with full heauy heart with them he far'd Grieu'd to the soule and groning inwardly That he of womens hands so base a death should dy But they like tyrants mercilesse the more Reioyced at his miserable case And him reuiled and reproched sore With bitter taunts and termes of vile disgrace Now when as Artegall arriu'd in place Did aske what cause brought that man to decay They round about him gan to swarme apace Meaning on him their cruell hands to lay And to haue wrought vnwares some villanous assay But he was soone aware of their ill minde And drawing backe deceiued their intent Yet though him selfe did shame on womankinde His mighty hand to shend he Talus sent To wrecke on them their follies hardyment Who with few sowces of his yron flale Dispersed all their troupe incontinent And sent them home to tell a piteous tale Of their vaine prowesse turned to their proper bale But that same wretched man ordaynd to die They left behind them glad to be so quit Him Talus tooke out of perplexitie And horrour of fowle death for Knight vnfit Who more then losse of life ydreaded it And him restoring vnto liuing light So brought vnto his Lord where he did sit Beholding all that womanish weake fight Whom soone as he beheld he knew and thus behight Sir Turpine haplesse man what make you here Or haue you lost your selfe and your discretion That euer in this wretched case ye were Or haue ye yeelded you to proude oppression Of womens powre that boast of mens subiection Or else what other deadly dismall day Is falne on you by
might That all my senses were bereaued quight Then brought she me into this desert waste And by my wretched louers side me pight Where now enclosd in wooden wals full faste Banisht from liuing wights our wearie dayes we waste But how long time said then the Elfin knight Are you in this misformed house to dwell We may not chaunge quoth he this euil plight Till we be bathed in a lining well That is the terme prescribed by the spell O how said he mote I that well out find That may restore you to your wonted well Time and suffised fates to former kynd Shall vs restore none else from hence may vs vnbynd The false Duessa now Fidessa hight Heard how in vaine Fradubio did lament And knew well all was true But the good knight Full of sad feare and ghastly dreriment When all this speech the liuing tree had spent The bleeding bough did thrust into the ground That from the bloud he might be innocent And with fresh clay did close the wooden wound Then turning to his Lady dead with feare her found Her seeming dead he found with feigned feare As all vnweeting of that well she knew And paynd himselfe with busie care to reare Her out of carelesse swowne Her eylids blew And dimmed sight with pale and deadly hew At last she vp gan lift with trembling cheare Her vp he tooke too simple and too trew And oft her kist At length all passed feare He set her on her steede and forward forth did beare Cant. III. Forsaken Truth long seekes her loue And makes the Lyon mylde Marres blind Deuotions mart and fals In hand of leachour vylde NOught is there vnder heau'ns wide hollownesse That moues more deare compassion of mind Then beautie brought t'vnworthy wretchednesse Through enuies snares or fortunes freakes vnkind I whether lately through her brightnesse blind Or through alleageance and fast fealtie Which I do owe vnto all woman kind Feele my heart perst with so great agonie When such I see that all for pittie I could die And now it is empassioned so deepe For fairest Vnaes sake of whom I sing That my fraile eyes these lines with teares do steepe To thinke how she through guilefull handeling Though true as touch though daughter of a king Though faire as euer liuing wight was faire Though nor in word nor deede ill meriting Is from her knight diuorced in despaire And her due loues deriu'd to that vile witches share Yet she most faithfull Ladie all this while Forsaken wofull solitarie mayd Farre from all peoples prease as in exile In wildernesse and wastfull deserts strayd To seeke her knight who subtilly betrayd Through that late vision which th' Enchaunter wrought Had her abandond She of nought affrayd Through woods and wastnesse wide him daily sought Yet wished tydings none of him vnto her brought One day nigh wearie of the yrkesome way From her vnhastie beast she did alight And on the grasse her daintie limbes did lay In secret shadow farre from all mens sight From her faire head her fillet she vndight And laid her stole aside Her angels face As the great eye of heauen shyned bright And made a sunshine in the shadie place Did neuer mortall eye behold such heauenly grace It fortuned out of the thickest wood A ramping Lyon rushed suddainly Hunting full greedie after saluage blood Soone as the royall virgin he did spy With gaping mouth at her ran greedily To haue attonce deuour'd her tender corse But to the pray when as he drew more ny His bloudie rage asswaged with remorse And with the sight amazd forgat his furious forse In stead thereof he kist her wearie feet And lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong As he her wronged innocence did weet O how can beautie maister the most strong And simple truth subdue auenging wrong Whose yeelded pride and proud submission Still dreading death when she had marked long Her hart gan melt in great compassion And drizling teares did shed for pure affection The Lyon Lord of euery beast in field Quoth she his princely puissance doth abate And mightie proud to humble weake does yield Forgetfull of the hungry rage which late Him prickt in pittie of my sad estate But he my Lyon and my noble Lord How does he find in cruell hart to hate Her that him lou'd and euer most adord As the God of my life why hath he me abhord Redounding teares did choke th' end of her plaint Which softly ecchoed from the neighbour wood And sad to see her sorrowfull constraint The kingly beast vpon her gazing stood With pittie calmd downe fell his angry mood At last in close hart shutting vp her paine Arose the virgin borne of heauenly brood And to her snowy Palfrey got againe To seeke her strayed Champion if she might attaine The Lyon would not leaue her desolate But with her went along as a strong gard Of her chast person and a faithfull mate Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard Still when she slept he kept both watch and ward And when she wakt he waited diligent With humble seruice to her will prepard From her faire eyes he tooke commaundement And euer by her lookes conceiued her intent Long she thus traueiled through deserts wyde By which she thought her wandring knight shold pas Yet neuer shew of liuing wight espyde Till that at length she found the troden gras In which the tract of peoples footing was Vnder the steepe foot of a mountaine hore The same she followes till at last she has A damzell spyde slow footing her before That on her shoulders sad a pot of water bore To Whom approching she to her gan call To weet if dwelling place were nigh at hand But the rude wench her answer'd nought at all She could not heare nor speake nor vnderstand Till seeing by her side the Lyon stand With suddaine feare her pitcher downe she threw And fled away for neuer in that land Face of faire Ladie she before did vew And that dread Lyons looke her cast in deadly hew Full fast she fled ne euer lookt behynd As if her life vpon the wager lay And home she came whereas her mother blynd Sate in eternall night nought could she say But suddaine catching hold did her dismay With quaking hands and other signes of feare Who full of ghastly fright and cold affray Gan shut the dore By this arriued there Dame Vna wearie Dame and entrance did requere Which when none yeelded her vnruly Page With his rude clawes the wicket open rent And let her in where of his cruell rage Nigh dead with feare and faint astonishment She found them both in darkesome corner pent Where that old woman day and night did pray Vpon her beades deuoutly penitent Nine hundred Pater nosters euery day And thrise nine hundred Aues she was wont to say And to augment her painefull pennance more Thrise euery weeke in ashes she did sit And next her wrinkled skin rough sackcloth wore And thrise three
triall late did teach That like would not for all this worldes wealth His subtill tongue like dropping honny mealt'h Into the hart and searcheth euery vaine That ere one be aware by secret stealth His powre is rest and weaknesse doth remaine O neuer Sir desire to try his guilefull traine Certes said he hence shall I neuer rest Till I that treachours art haue heard and tride And you Sir knight whose name mote I request Of grace do me vnto his cabin guide I that hight Treuisan quoth he will ride Against my liking backe to doe you grace But nor for gold nor glee will I abide By you when ye arriue in that same place For leuer had I die then see his deadly face Ere long they come where that same wicked wight His dwelling has low in an hollow caue Farre vnderneath a craggie clift ypight Darke dolefull drearie like a greedie graue That still for carrion carcases doth craue On top whereof aye dwelt the ghastly Owle Shrieking his balefull note which euer draue Farre from that haunt all other chearefull fowle And all about it wandring ghostes did waile and howle And all about old stockes and stubs of trees Whereon nor fruit nor leafe was euer seene Did hang vpon the ragged rocky knees On which had many wretches hanged beene Whose carcases were scattered on the greene And throwne about the clifts Arriued there That bare-head knight for dread and dolefull teene Would faine haue fled ne durst approchen neare But th' other forst him stay and comforted in feare That darkesome caue they enter where they find That cursed man low sitting on the ground Musing full sadly in his sulle in mind His griesie lockes long growen and vnbound Disordred hong about his shoulders round And hid his face through which his hollow eyne Look deadly dull and stared as astound His raw-bone cheekes through penurie and pine Where shronke into his iawes as he did neuer dine His garment nought but many ragged clouts With thornes together pind and patched was The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts And him beside there lay vpon the gras A drearie corse whose life away did pas All wallowd in his owne yet luke-warme blood That from his wound yet welled fresh alas In which a rustie knife fast fixed stood And made an open passage for the gushing flood Which piteous spectacle approuing trew The wofull tale that Treuisan had told When as the gentle Redcrosse knight did vew With firie zeale he burnt in courage bold Him to auenge before his bloud were cold And to the villein said Thou damned wight The author of this fact we here behold What iustice can but iudge against thee right With thine owne bloud to price his bloud here shed in sight What franticke fit quoth he hath thus distraught Thee foolish man so rash a doome to giue What iustice euer other iudgement taught But he should die who merites not to liue None else to death this man despayring driue But his owne guiltie mind deseruing death Is then vniust to each his due to giue Or let him die that loatheth liniug breath Or let him die at ease that liueth here vneath Who trauels by the wearie wandring way To come vnto his wished home in haste And meetes a flood that doth his passage stay Is not great grace to helpe him ouer past Or free his feet that in the myre sticke fast Most enuious man that grieues at neighbours good And fond that ioyest in the woe thou hast Why wilt not let him passe that long hath stood Vpon the banke yet wilt thy selfe not passe the flood He there does now enioy eternall rest And happie ease which thou doest want and craue And further from it daily wanderest What if some litle paine the passage haue That makes fraile flesh to feare the bitter waue Is not short paine well borne that brings long ease And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet graue Sleepe after toyle port after stormie seas Ease after warre death after life does greatly please The knight much wondred at his suddeine wit And said The terme of life is limited Ne may a man prolong nor shorten it The souldier may not moue from watchfull sted Nor leaue his stand vntill his Captaine bed Who life did limit by almightie doome Quoth he knowes best the termes established And he that points the Centonell his roome Doth license him depart at sound of morning droome Is not his deed what euer thing is donne In heauen and earth did not he all create To die againe all ends that was begonne Their times in his eternall booke of fate Are written sure and haue their certaine date Who then can striue with strong necessitie That holds the world in his still chaunging state Or shunne the death ordaynd by destinie Whē houre of death is come let none aske whence nor why The lenger life I wote the greater sin The greater sin the greater punishment All those great battels which thou boasts to win Through strife and bloud-shed and auengement Now praysd hereafter deare thou shalt repent For life must life and bloud must bloud repay Is not enough thy euill life forespent For he that once hath missed the right way The further he doth goe the further he doth stray Then do no further goe no further stray But here lie downe and to thy rest betake Th' ill to preuent that life ensewen may For what hath life that may it loued make And giues not rather cause it to forsake Feare sicknesse age losse labour sorrow strife Paine hunger cold that makes the hart to quake And euer fickle fortune rageth rife All which and thousands mo do make a loathsome life Thou wretched man of death hast greatest need If in true ballance thou wilt weigh thy state For neuer knight that dared warlike deede More lucklesse disauentures did amate Witnesse the dongeon deepe wherein of late Thy life shut vp for death so oft did call And though good lucke prolonged hath thy date Yet death then would the like mishaps forestall Into the which hereafter thou maiest happen fall Why then doest thou ô man of sin desire To draw thy dayes forth to their last degree Is not the measure of thy sinfull hire High heaped vp with huge iniquitie Against the day of wrath to burden thee Is not enough that to this Ladie milde Thou falsed hast thy faith with periurie And sold thy selfe to serue Duessa vilde With whom in all abuse thou hast thy selfe defilde Is not he iust that all this doth behold From highest heauen and beares an equall eye Shall he thy sins vp in his knowledge fold And guiltie be of thine impietie Is not his law Let euery sinner die Die shall all flesh what then must needs be donne Is it not better to doe willinglie Then linger till the glasse be all out ronne Death is the end of woes die soone O faeries sonne The knight was much enmoued with his speach That as a swords point
great industree Shortly therein so perfect he became That from the first vnto the last degree His mortall life he learned had to frame In holy righteousnesse without rebuke or blame Thence forward by that painfull way they pas Forth to an hill that was both steepe and hy On top whereof a sacred chappell was And eke a litle Hermitage thereby Wherein an aged holy man did lye That day and night said his deuotion Ne other worldly busines did apply His name was heauenly Contemplation Of God and goodnesse was his meditation Great grace that old man to him giuen had For God he often saw from heauens hight All were his earthly eyen both blunt and bad And through great age had lost their kindly sight Yet wondrous quick and persant was his spright As Eagles eye that can behold the Sunne That hill they scale with all their powre and might That his frayle thighes nigh wearie and fordonne Gan faile but by her helpe the top at last he wonne There they do finde that godly aged Sire With snowy lockes adowne his shoulders shed As hoarie frost with spangles doth attire The mossy braunches of an Oke halfe ded Each bone might through his body well be red And euery sinew seene through his long fast For nought he car'd his carcas long vnfed His mind was full of spirituall repast And pyn'd his flesh to keepe his body low and chast Who when these two approching he aspide At their first presence grew agrieued sore That forst him lay his heauenly thoughts aside And had he not that Dame respected more Whom highly he did reuerence and adore He would not once haue moued for the knight They him saluted standing far afore Who well them greeting humbly did requight And asked to what end they clomb that tedious height What end quoth he should cause vs take such paine But that same end which euery liuing wight Should make his marke high heauen to attaine Is not from hence the way that leadeth right To that most glorious house that glistreth bright With burning starres and euerliuing fire Whereof the keyes are to thy hand behight By wise Fidelia she doth thee require To shew it to this knight according his desire Thrise happy man said then the father graue Whose staggering steps thy steady hand doth lead And shewes the way his sinfull soule to saue Who better can the way to heauen aread Then thou thy selfe that was both borne and bred In heauenly throne where thousand Angels shine Thou doest the prayers of the righteous sead Present before the maiestie diuine And his auenging wrath to clemencie incline Yet since thou bidst thy pleasure shal be donne Then come thou man of earth and see the way That neuer yet was seene of Faeries sonne That neuer leads the traueiler astray But after labours long and sad delay Bring them to ioyous rest and endlesse blis But first thou must a season fast and pray Till from her bands the spright assoiled is And haue her strength recur'd from fraile infirmitis That done he leads him to the highest Mount Such one as that same mighty man of God That bloud-red billowes like a walled front On either side disparted with his rod Till that his army dry-foot through them yod Dwelt fortie dayes vpon where writ in stone With bloudy letters by the hand of God The bitter doome of death and balefull mone He did receiue whiles flashing fire about him shone Or like that sacred hill whose head full hie Adornd with fruitfull Oliues all arownd Is as it were for endlesse memory Of that deare Lord who oft thereon was fownd For euer 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 Their heauenly notes and make full many a louely lay From thence far off he vnto 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 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 As he thereon stood gazing he might see The blessed Angels to and fro descend From highest heauen in gladsome companee And with great ioy into that Citie wend As commonly as friend does with his frend Whereathe wondred much and gan enquere What stately building durst so high extend Her loftie towres vnto the starry sphere And what vnknowen nation there empeopled were Faire knight quoth he Hierusalem that is 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 piteous bloud which cruelly was spilt On cursed tree of that vnspotted lam That for the sinnes of all the world was kilt Now are they Saints all in that Citie sam More deare vnto their God then yoūglings to their dam. Till now said then the knight I weened well That great Cleopolis where I haue beene In which that fairest Faerie Queene doth dwell The fairest Citie was that might be seene And that bright towre all built of christall cleene Panthea seemd the brightest thing that was But now by proofe all otherwise I weene For this great Citie that does far surpas And this bright Angels towre quite dims that towre of glas Most trew then said the holy aged man Yet is Cleopolis for earthly fame The fairest peece that eye beholden can And well beseemes all knights of noble name That couet in th' immortall booke of fame To be eternized that same to haunt And doen their seruice to that soueraigne Dame That glorie does to them for guerdon graunt For she is heauenly borne and heauen may iustly vaunt And thou faire ymp sprong out from English race How euer now accompted Elsins sonne Well worthy doest thy seruice for her grace To aide a virgin desolate foredonne But when thou famous victorie hast wonne And high emongst all knights hast hong thy shield Thenceforth the suit of earthly conquest shonne And wash thy hands from guilt of bloudy field For bloud can nought but sin wars but sorrowes yield Then seeke this path that I to thee presage Which after all to heauen shall thee send Then peaceably to thy painefull pilgrimage To yonder same Hierusalem do bend Where is for thee ordaind a blessed end For thou emongst those Saints whom thou doest see Shalt be a Saint and thine owne nations frend And Patrone thou Saint George shalt called bee Saint George of mery England the signe of victoree Vnworthy wretch quoth he ofso great grace How dare I thinke such glory to attaine These that haue it attaind were in like cace Quoth he as wretched and liu'd in like paine But deeds of armes must I at last be faine And Ladies loue to leaue
ground as hating life and light The gentle knight her soone with carefull paine Vplifted light and softly did vphold Thrise he her reard and thrise she sunke againe Till he his armes about her sides gan fold And to her said Yet if the stony cold Haue not all seized on your frozen hart Let one word fall that may your griefe vnfold And tell the secret of your mortall smart He oft finds present helpe who does his griefe impart Then casting vp a deadly looke full low Shee sight from bottome of her wounded brest And after many bitter throbs did throw With lips full pale and foltring tongue opprest These words she breathed forth from riuen chest Leaue ah leaue off what euer wight thou bee To let a wearie wretch from her dew rest And trouble dying soules tranquilitee Take not away now got which none would giue to me Ah farre be it said he Deare dame fro mee To hinder soule from her desired rest Or hold sad life in long captiuitee For all I seeke is but to haue redrest The bitter pangs that doth your heart infest Tell then ô Lady tell what fatall priefe Hath with so huge misfortune you opprest That I may cast to compasse your reliefe Or die with you in sorrow and partake your griefe With feeble hands then stretched forth on hye As heauen accusing guiltie of her death And with dry drops congealed in her eye In these sad words she spent her vtmost breath Heare then ô man the sorrowes that vneath My tongue can tell so farre all sense they pas Loe this dead corpse that lies here vnderneath The gentlest knight that euer on greene gras Gay steed with spurs did pricke the good Sir Mortdant was Was ay the while that he is not so now My Lord my loue my deare Lord my deare loue So long as heauens iust with equall brow Vouchsafed to behold vs from aboue One day when him high courage did emmoue As wont ye knights to seeke aduentures wilde He pricked forth his puissant force to proue Me then he left enwombed of this child This lucklesse child whom thus ye see with bloud defild Him fortuned hard fortune ye may ghesse To come where vile Acrasia does wonne Acrasia a false enchaunteresse That many errant knights hath foule fordonne Within a wandring Island that doth ronne And stray in perilous gulfe her dwelling is Faire Sir if euer there ye trauell shonne The cursed land where many wend amis And know it by the name it hight the Bowre of blis Her blisse is all in pleasure and delight Wherewith she makes her louers drunken mad And then with words weedes of wondrous might On them she workes her will to vses bad My lifest Lord she thus beguiled had For he was flesh all flesh doth frailtie breed Whom when I heard to beene so ill bestad Weake wretch I wrapt my selfe in Palmers weed And cast to seeke him forth through daunger and great dreed Now had faire Cynthia by euen tournes Full measured three quarters of her yeare And thrise three times had fild her crooked hornes When as my wombe her burdein would forbeare And bad me call Lucina to me neare Lucina came a manchild forth I brought The woods the Nymphes my bowres my midwiues weare Hard helpe at need So deare thee babe I bought Yet nought too deare I deemd while so my dear I sought Him so I sought and so at last I found Where him that witch had thralled to her will In chaines of lust and lewd desires ybound And so transformed from his former skill That me he knew not neither his owne ill Till through wise handling and faire gouernance I him recured to a better will Purged from drugs of foule intemperance Then meanes I gan deuise for his deliuerance Which when the vile Enchaunteresse perceiu'd How that my Lord from her I would repriue With cup thus charmd him parting she deceiu'd Sad verse giue death to him that death does giue And losse of loue to her that loues to liue So soone as Bacchus with the Nymphe does lincke So parted we and on our iourney driue Till comming to this well he stoupt to drincke The charme fulfild dead suddenly he downe did sincke Which when I wretch Not one word more she sayd But breaking off the end for want of breath And slyding soft as downe to sleepe her layd And ended all her woe in quiet death That seeing good Sir Guyon could vneath From teares abstaine for griefe his hart did grate And from so heauie sight his head did wreath Accusing fortune and too cruell fate Which plunged had faire Ladie in so wretched state Then turning to his Palmer said Old syre Behold the image of mortalitie And feeble nature cloth'd with fleshly tyre When raging passion with fierce tyrannie Robs reason of her due regalitie And makes it seruant to her basest part The strong it weakens with infirmitie And with bold furie armes the weakest hart The strong through pleasure soonest falles the weake through smart But temperance said he with golden squire Betwixt them both can measure out a meane Neither to melt in pleasures whot desire Nor fry in hartlesse griefe and dolefull teene Thrise happie man who fares them both atweene But sith this wretched woman ouercome Of anguish rather then of crime hath beene Reserue her cause to her eternall doome And in the meane vouchsafe her honorable toombe Palmer quoth he death is an euill doome To good and bad the common Inne of rest But after death the tryall is to come When best shall be to them that liued best But both alike when death hath both supprest Religious reuerence doth buriall teene Which who so wants wants so much of his rest For all so great shame after death I weene As selfe to dyen bad vnburied bad to beene So both agree their bodies to engraue The great earthes wombe they open to the sky And with sad Cypresse seemely it embraue Then couering with a clod their closed eye They lay therein those corses tenderly And bid them sleepe in euerlasting peace But ere they did their vtmost obsequy Sir Guyon more affection to increace Bynempt a sacred vow which none should aye releace The dead knights sword out of his sheath he drew With which he cut a locke of all their heare Which medling with their bloud and earth he threw Into the graue and gan deuoutly sweare Such and such euill Godon Guyon reare And worse and worse young Orphane be thy paine If I or thou dew vengeance doe forbeare Till guiltie bloud her guerdon doe obtaine So shedding many teares they closd the earth againe Cant. II. Babes bloudie hands may not be clensd the face of golden Meane Her sisters two Extremities striue her to banish cleane THus when Sir Guyon with his faithfull guide Had with due rites and dolorous lament The end of their sad Tragedie vptyde The litle babe vp in his armes he hent Who with sweet pleasance and bold blandishment
Vnworthie of the commune breathed aire Why liuest thou dead dog a lenger day And doest not vnto death thy selfe prepaire Dye or thy selfe my captiue yield for ay Great fauour I thee graunt for aunswere thus to stay Hold ô deare Lord hold your dead-doing hand Then loud he cryde I am your humble thrall Ah wretch quoth he thy destinies withstand My wrathfull will and do for mercy call I giue thee life therefore prostrated fall And kisse my stirrup that thy homage bee The Miser threw him selfe as an Offall Streight at his foot in base humilitee And cleeped him his liege to hold of him in fee. So happy peace they made and faire accord Eftsoones this liege-man gan to wexe more bold And when he felt the folly of his Lord In his owne kind he gan him selfe vnfold For he was wylie witted and growne old In cunning sleights and practick knauery For that day forth he cast for to vphold His idle humour with fine flattery And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity Trompart fit man for Braggadochio To serue at court in view of vaunting eye Vaine-glorious man when fluttring wind does blow In his light wings is lifted vp to skye The scorne of knighthood and trew cheualrye To thinke without desert of gentle deed And noble worth to be aduaunced hye Such prayse is shame but honour vertues meed Doth beare the fairest flowre in honorable seed So forth they pas a well consorted paire Till that at length with Archimage they meet Who seeing one that shone in armour faire On goodly courser thundring with his feet Eftsoones supposed him a person meet Of his reuenge to make the instrument For since the Redcrosse knight he earst did weet To beene with Guyon knit in one consent The ill which earst to him he now to Guyon ment And comming close to Trompart gan inquere Of him what mighty warriour that mote bee That rode in golden sell with single spere But wanted sword to wreake his enmitee He is a great aduenturer said he That hath his sword through hard assay forgone And now hath vowd till he auenged bee Of that despight neuer to wearen none That speare is him enough to doen a thousand grone Th' enchaunter greatly ioyed in the vaunt And weened well ere long his will to win And both his foen with equall foyle to daunt Tho to him louting lowly did begin To plaine of wrongs which had committed bin By Guyon and by that false Redcrosse knight Which two through treason and deceiptfull gin Had slaine Sir Mordant and his Lady bright That mote him honour win to wreake so foule despight Therewith all suddeinly he seemd enraged And threatned death with dreadfull countenaunce As if their liues had in his hand beene gaged And with stiffe force shaking his mortall launce To let him weet his doughtie valiaunce Thus said Old man great sure shal be thy meed If where those knights for feare of dew vengeaunce Do lurke thou certainly to me areed That I may wreake on them their hainous hatefull deed Certes my Lord said he that shall I soone And giue you eke good helpe to their decay But mote I wisely you aduise to doon Giue no ods to your foes but do puruay Your selfe of sword before that bloudy day For they be two the prowest knights on ground And oft approu'd in many hard assay And eke of surest steele that may be found Do arme your selfe against that day them to confound Dotard said he let be thy deepe aduise Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee faile And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wise Else neuer should thy iudgement be so fraile To measure manhood by the sword or maile Is not enough foure quarters of a man Withouten sword or shield an host to quaile Thou little wotest what this right hand can Speake they which haue beheld the battailes which it wan The man was much abashed at his boast Yet well he wist that who so would contend With either of those knights on euen coast Should need of all his armes him to defend Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend When Braggadocchio said Once I did sweare When with one sword seuen knights I brought to end Thence forth in battell neuer sword to beare But it were that which noblest knight on earth doth weare Perdie Sir knight said then th' enchaunter bliue That shall I shortly purchase to your hond For now the best and noblest knight aliue Prince Arthur is that wonnes in Faerie lond He hath a sword that flames like burning brond The same by my aduise I vndertake Shall by to morrow by thy side be fond At which bold word that boaster gan to quake And wondred in his mind what mote that monster make He stayd not for more bidding but away Was suddein vanished out of his sight The Northerne wind his wings did broad display At his commaund and reared him vp light From off the earth to take his aerie flight They look about but no where could espie Tract of his foot then dead through great affright They both nigh were and each bad other flie Both fled attonce ne euer backe returned eie Till that they come vnto a forrest greene In which they shrowd thēselues from causelesse feare Yet feare them followes still where so they beene Each trembling leafe and whistling wind they heare As ghastly bug their haire on end does reare Yet both doe striue their fearfulnesse to faine At last they heard a horne that shrilled cleare Throughout the wood that ecchoed againe And made the forrest ring as it would riue in twaine Eft through the thicke they heard one rudely rush With noyse whereof he from his loftie steed Downe fell to ground and crept into a bush To hide his coward head from dying dreed But Trompart stoutly stayd to taken heed Of what might hap Eftsoone there stepped forth A goodly Ladie clad in hunters weed That seemd to be a woman of great worth And by her stately portance borne of heauenly birth Her face so faire as flesh it seemed not But heauenly pourtraict of bright Angels hew Cleare as the skie withouten blame or blot Through goodly mixture of complexions dew And in her cheekes the vermeill red did shew Like roses in a bed of lillies shed The which ambrosiall odours from them threw And gazers sense with double pleasure fed Hable to heale the sicke and to reuiue the ded In her faire eyes two liuing lamps did flame Kindled aboue at th'heauenly makers light And darted fyrie beames out of the same So passing persant and so wondrous bright That quite bereau'd the rash beholders sight In them the blinded god his lustfull fire To kindle oft assayd but had no might For with dredd Maiestie and awfull ire She broke his wanton darts and quenched base desire Her iuorie forhead full of bountie braue Like a broad table did it selfe dispred For Loue his loftie triumphes to engraue And write the battels of his great godhed
all his head vnto the bone Wherewith astonisht still he stood as senselesse stone Still as he stood faire Phaedria that beheld That deadly daunger soone atweene them ran And at their feet her selfe most humbly feld Crying with pitteous voice and count'nance wan Ah well away most noble Lords how can Your cruell eyes endure so pitteous sight To shed your liues on ground wo worth the man That first did teach the oursed steele to bight In his owne flesh and make way to the liuing spright If euer loue of Ladie did empierce Your yron brestes or pittie could find place Withhold your bloudie hands from battell fierce And sith for me ye fight to me this grace Both yeeld to stay your deadly strife a space They stayd a while and forth she gan proceed Most wretched woman and of wicked race That am the author of this hainous deed And cause of death betweene two doughtie knights doe breed But if for me ye fight or me will serue Not this rude kind of battell nor these armes Are meet the which doe men in bale to sterue And dolefull sorrow heape with deadly harmes Such cruell game my scarmoges disarmes Another warre and other weapons I Doe loue where loue does giue his sweet alarmes Without bloudshed and where the enemy Does yeeld vnto his foe a pleasant victory Debatefull strife and cruell enmitie The famous name of knighthood fowly shent But louely peace and gentle amitie And in Amours the passing houres to spend The mightie martiall hands doe most commend Of loue they euer greater glory bore Then of their armes Mars is Cupidoes frend And is for Venus loues renowmed more Then all his wars and spoiles the which he did of yore Therewith she sweetly smyld They though full bent To proue extremities of bloudie fight Yet at her speach their rages gan relent And calme the sea of their tempestuous spight Such powre haue pleasing words such is the might Of courteous clemencie in gentle hart Now after all was ceast the Faery knight Besought that Damzell suffer him depart And yield him readie passage to that other part She no lesse glad then he desirous was Of his departure thence for of her ioy And vaine delight she saw he light did pas A foe of folly and immodest toy Still solemne sad or still disdainfull coy Delighting all in armes and cruell warre That her sweet peace and pleasures did annoy Troubled with terrour and vnquiet iarre That she well pleased was thence to amoue him farre Tho him she brought abord and her swift bote Forthwith directed to that further strand The which on the dull waues did lightly flote And soone arriued on the shallow sand Where gladsome Guyon salied forth to land And to that Damzell thankes gaue for reward Vpon that shore he spied Atin stand Thereby his maister left when late he far'd In Phadrias flit barke ouer that perlous shard Well could he him remember sith of late He with Pyrrhochles sharp debatement made Streight gan he him reuile and bitter rate As shepheards curre that in darke euenings shade Hath tracted forth some saluage beastes trade Vile Miscreant said he whither doest thou flie The shame and death which will thee soone inuade What coward hand shall doe thee next to die That art thus foully fled from famous enemie With that he stiffely shooke his steelehead dart But sober Guyon hearing him so raile Though somewhat moued in his mightie hart Yet with strong reason maistred passion fraile And passed fairely forth He turning taile Backe to the strond retyrd and there still stayd Awaiting passage which him late did faile The whiles Cymochles with that wanton mayd The hastie heat of his auowd reuenge delayd Whylest there the varlet stood he saw from farre An armed knight that towards him fast ran He ran on foot as if in lucklesse warre His forlorne steed from him the victourwan He seemed breathlesse hartlesse faint and wan And all his armour sprinckled was with bloud And soyld with durtie gore that no man can Discerne the hew thereof He neuer stood But bent his hastie course towards the idle flood The varlet saw when to the flood he came How without stop or stay he fiercely lept And deepe him selfe beduked in the same That in the lake his loftie crest was steept Ne of his safetie seemed care he kept But with his raging armes he rudely flasht The waues about and all his armour swept That all the bloud and filth away was washt Yet still he bet the water and the billowes dasht Atin drew nigh to weet what it mote bee For much he wondred at that vncouth sight Whom should he but his owne deare Lord there see His owne deare Lord Pyrrhochles in sad plight Readie to drowne himselfe for fell despight Harrow now out and well away he cryde What dismall day hath lent this cursed light To see my Lord so deadly damnifyde Pyrrhochles ô Pyrrhochles what is thee betyde I burne I burne I burne then loud he cryde O how I burne with implacable fire Yet nought can quench mine inly flaming syde Nor sea of licour cold nor lake of mire Nothing but death can doe me to respire Ah be it said he from Pyrrhochles farre After pursewing death once to require Or think that ought those puissant hands may marre Death is for wretches borne vnder vnhappie starre Perdie then is it fit for me said he That am I weene most wretched man aliue But in flames yet no flames can I see And dying daily daily yet reuiue O Atin helpe to me last death to giue The varlet at his plaint was grieued so sore That his deepe wounded hart in two did riue And his owne health remembring now no more Did follow that ensample which he blam'd afore Into the lake he lept his Lord to ayd So Loue the dread of daunger doth despise And of him catching hold him strongly stayd From drowning But more happie he then wise Of that seas nature did him not auise The waues thereof so slow and sluggish were Engrost with mud which did them foule agrise That euery weightie thing they did vpbeare Ne ought mote euer sinke downe to the bottome there Whiles thus they strugled in that idle waue And stroue in vaine the one himselfe to drowne The other both from drowning for to saue Lo to that shore one in an auncient gowne Whose hoarie locks great grauitie did crowne Holding in hand a goodly arming sword By fortune came led with the troublous sowne Where drenched deepe he found in that dull ford The carefull seruant striuing with his raging Lord. Him Atin spying knew right well of yore And loudly cald Helpe helpe ô Archimage To saue my Lord in wretched plight forlore Helpe with thy hand or with thy counsell sage Weake hands but counsell is most strong in age Him when the old man saw he wondred sore To see Pyrrhochles there so rudely rage Yet sithens helpe he saw he needed more Then pittie he in hast
her dayes Aswell in curious instruments as cunning layes Of whom he did great Constantine beget Who afterward was Emperour of Rome To which whiles absent he his mind did set Octauius here lept into his roome And it vsurped by vnrighteous doome But he his title iustifide by might Slaying Traherne and hauing ouercome The Romane legion in dreadfull fight So settled he his kingdome and confirmd his right But wanting issew male his daughter deare He gaue in wedlocke to Maximian And him with her made of his kingdome heyre Who soone by meanes thereof the Empire wan Till murdred by the friends of Gratian Then gan the Hunnes and Picts inuade this land During the raigne of Maximinian Who dying left none heire them to withstand But that they ouerran all parts with easie hand The weary Britons whose war-hable youth Was by Maximian lately led away With wretched miseries and woefull ruth Were to those Pagans made an open pray And dayly spectacle of sad decay Whom Romane warres which now foure hundred yeares And more had wasted could no whit dismay Till by consent of Commons and of Peares They crownd the second Constantine with ioyous teares Who hauing oft in battell vanquished Those spoilefull Picts and swarming Easterlings Long time in peace his Realme established Yet oft annoyd with sundry bordragings Of neighbour Scots and forrein Scatterlings With which the world did in those dayes abound Which to outbarre with painefull pyonings From sea to sea he heapt a mightie mound Which from Alcluid to Panwelt did that border bound Three sonnes he dying left all vnder age By meanes whereof their vncle Vortigere Vsurpt the crowne during their pupillage Which th' Infants tutors gathering to feare Them closely into Armorick did beare For dread of whom and for those Picts annoyes He sent to Germanie straunge aid to reare From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons whom he for his safetie imployes Two brethren were their Captains which hight Hengist and Horsus well approu'd in warre And both of them men of renowmed might Who making vantage of their ciuill iarre And of those forreiners which came from farre Grew great and got large portions of land That in the Realme ere long they stronger arre Then they which sought at first their helping hand And Vortiger enforst the kingdome to aband But by the helpe of Vortimere his sonne He is againe vnto his rule restord And Hengist seeming sad for that was donne Receiued is to grace and new accord Through his faire daughters face flattring word Soone after which three hundred Lordes he slew Of British bloud all sitting at his bord Whose dolefull moniments who list to rew Th' eternall markes of treason may at Stonheng vew By this the sonnes of Constantine which fled Ambrise and Vther did ripe yeares attaine And here arriuing strongly challenged The crowne which Vortiger did long detaine Who flying from his guilt by them was slaine And Hengist eke soone brought to shamefull death Thenceforth Aurelius peaceably did rayne Till that through poyson stopped was his breath So now entombed lyes at Stoneheng by the heath After him Vther which Pendragon hight Succeding There abruptly it did end Without full point or other Cesure right As if the rest some wicked hand did rend Or th' Authour selfe could not at least attend To finish it that so vntimely breach The Prince him selfe halfe seemeth to offend Yet secret pleasure did offence empeach And wonder of antiquitie long stopt his speach At last quite rauisht with delight to heare The royall Ofspring of his natiue land Cryde out Deare countrey ô how dearely deare Ought thy remembraunce and perpetuall band Be to thy foster Childe that from thy hand Did commun breath and nouriture receaue How brutish is it not to vnderstand How much to her we owe that all vs gaue That gaue vnto vs all what euer good we haue But Guyon all this while his booke did read Ne yet has ended for it was a great And ample volume that doth far excead My leasure so long leaues here to repeat It told how first Prometheus did create A man of many partes from beasts deriued And then stole fire from heauen to animate His worke for which he was by loue depriued Of life him selfe and hart-strings of an Aegle riued That man so made he called Elfe to weet Quick the first author of all Elfin kind Who wandring through the world with wearie feet Did in the gardins of Adonis find A goodly creature whom he deemd in mind To beno earthly wight but either Spright Or Angell th' authour of all woman kind Therefore a Fay he her according hight Of whom all Faeryes spring and fetch their lignage right Of these a mightie people shortly grew And puissaunt kings which all the world warrayd And to them selues all Nations did subdew The first and eldest which that scepter swayd Was Elfin him all India obayd And all that now America men call Next him was noble Elfinan who layd Cleopolis foundation first of all But Elfiline enclosd it with a golden wall His sonne was Elfinell who ouercame The wicked Gobbelines in bloudy field But Elfant was of most renowmed fame Who all of Christall did Panthea build Then Elfar who two brethren gyants kild The one of which had two heads th' other three Then Elfinor who was in Magick skild He built by art vpon the glassy See A bridge of bras whose sound heauēs thunder seem'd to bee He left three sonnes the which in order raynd And all their Ofspring in their dew descents Euen seuen hundred Princes which maintaynd With mightie deedes their sundry gouernments That were too long their infinite contents Here to record ne much materiall Yet should they be most famous moniments And bratie ensample both of martiall And ciuill rule to kings and states imperiall After all these Elficleos did rayne The wise Elficleos in great Maiestie Who mightily that scepter did sustayne And with rich spoiles and famous victorie Did high aduaunce the crowne of Faery He left two sonnes of which faire Elferon The eldest brother did vntimely dy Whose emptie place the mightie Oberon Doubly supplide in spousall and dominion Great was his power and glorie ouer all Which him before that sacred seate did fill That yet remaines his wide memoriall He dying left the fairest Tanaquill Him to succeede therein by his last will Fairer and nobler liueth none this howre Ne like in grace ne like in learned skill Therefore they Glorian call that glorious flowre Long mayst thou Glorian liue in glory and great powre Beguild thus with delight of nouelties And naturall desire of countreys state So long they red in those antiquities That how the time was fled they quite forgate Till geutle Alma seeing it so late Perforce their studies broke and them besought To thinke how supper did them long awaite So halfe vnwilling from their bookes them brought And fairely feasted as so nobles knights she ought Cant. XI The enimies
his mistrustfull eyes And nicely trode as thornes lay in his way Or that the flore to shrinke he did auyse And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps which shrunke when hard theron he lay With him went Daunger cloth ' in ragged weed Made of Beares skin that him more dreadfull made Yet his owne face was dreadfull ne did need Straunge horrour to deforme his griesly shade A net in th' one hand and a rustie blade In th' other was this Mischiefe that Mishap With th' one his foes he threatned to inuade With th' other he his friends ment to enwrap For whom he could not kill he practizd to entrap Next him was Feare all arm'd from top to toe Yet thought himselfe not safe enough thereby But feard each shadow mouing to and fro And his owne armes when glittering he did spy Or clashing heard he fast away did fly As ashes pale of hew and wingyheeld And euermore on daunger fixt his eye Gainst whom he alwaies bent a brasen shield Which his right hand vnarmed fearefully did wield With him went Hope in rancke a handsome Mayd Of chearefull looke and louely to behold In silken samite she was light arayd And her faire lockes were wouen vp in gold She alway smyld and in her hand did hold An holy water Sprinckle dipt in deowe With which she sprinckled fauours manifold On whom she list and did great liking sheowe Great liking vnto many but true loue to feowe And after them Dissemblance and Suspect Marcht in one rancke yet an vnequall paire For she was gentle and of milde aspect Courteous to all and seeming debonaire Goodly adorned and exceeding faire Yet was that all but painted and purloynd And her bright browes were deckt with borrowed haire Her deedes were forged and her words false coynd And alwaies in her hand two clewes of silke she twynd But he was foule ill fauoured and grim Vnder his eyebrowes looking still askaunce And euer as Dissemblance laught on him He lowrd on her with daungerous eyeglaunce Shewing his nature in his countenance His rolling eyes did neuer rest in place But walkt each where for feare of hid mischaunce Holding a lattice still before his face Through which he still did peepe as forward he did pace Next him went Griefe and Fury matcht yfere Griefe all in sable sorrowfully clad Downe hanging his dull head with heauy chere Yet inly being more then seeming sad A paire of Pincers in his hand he had With which he pinched people to the hart That from thenceforth a wretched life they lad In wilfull languor and consuming smart Dying each day with inward wounds of dolours dart But Fury was full ill appareiled In rags that naked nigh she did appeare With ghastly lookes and dreadfull drerihed For from her backe her garments she did teare And from her head oft rent her snarled heare In her right hand a firebrand she did tosse About her head still roming here and there As a dismayed Deare in chace embost Forgetfull of his safety hath his right way lost After them went Displeasure and Pleasance He looking lompish and full sullein sad And hanging downe his heauy countenance She chearefull fresh and full of ioyance glad As if no sorrow she ne felt ne drad That euill matched paire they seemd to bee An angry Waspe th' one in a viall had Th' other in hers an hony-lady Bee Thus marched these sixe couples forth in faire degree After all these there marcht a most faire Dame Led of two grysie villeins th' one Despight The other cleped Cruelty by name She dolefull Lady like a dreary Spright Cald by strong charmes out of eternall night Had deathes owne image figurd in her face Full of sad signes fearefull to liuing sight Yet in that horror shewd a seemely grace And with her feeble feet did moue a comely pace Her brest all naked as net iuory Without adorne of gold or siluer bright Wherewith the Craftesman wonts it beautify Of her dew honour was despoyled quight And a wide wound therein O ruefull sight Entrenched deepe with knife accursed keene Yet freshly bleeding forth her fainting spright The worke of cruell hand was to be seene That dyde in sanguine red her skin all snowy cleene At that wide orisice her trembling hart Was drawne forth and in siluer basin layd Quite through transfixed with a deadly dart And in her bloud yet steeming fresh embayd And those two villeins which her steps vpstayd When her weake feete could scarcely her sustaine And fading vitall powers gan to fade Her forward still with torture did constraine And euermore encreased her consuming paine Next after her the winged God himselfe Came riding on a Lion rauenous Taught to obay the menage of that Elfe That man and beast with powre imperious Subdeweth to his knigdome tyrannous His blindfold eyes he bad a while vnbind That his proud spoyle of that same dolorous Faire Dame he might behold in perfect kind Which seene he much reioyced in his cruell mind Of which full proud himselfe vp rearing hye He looked round about with sterne disdaine And did suruay his goodly company And marshalling the euill ordered traine With that the darts which his right did straine Full dreadfully he shooke that all did quake And clapt on hie his coulourd winges twaine That all his many it affraide did make Tho blinding him againe his way he forth did take Behinde him was Reproch Repentance Shame Reproch the first Shame next Repent behind Repentance feeble sorrowfull and lame Reproch despightfull carelesse and vnkind Shame most ill fauourd bestiall and blind Shame lowrd Repentance sigh'd Reproch did scould Reproch sharpe stings Repentance whips entwind Shame burning brond-yrons in her hand did hold All three to each vnlike yet all made in one mould And after them a rude confused rout Of persons flockt whose names is hard to read Emongst them was sterne Strife and Anger stout Vnquiet Care and fond Vnthriftihead Lewd Losse of Time and Sorrow seeming dead Inconstant Chaunge and false Disloyaltie Consuming Riotise and guilty Dread Of heauenly vengeance faint Infirmitie Vile Pouertie and lastly Death with infamie There were full many moe like maladies Whose names and natures I note readen well So many moe as there be phantasies In wauering wemens wit that none can tell Or paines in loue or punishments in hell And which disguized marcht in masking wise About the chamber with that Damozell And then returned hauing marched thrise Into the inner roome from whence they first did rise So soone as they were in the dore streight way Fast locked driuen with that stormy blast Which first it opened and bore all away Then the braue Maid which all this while was plast In secret shade and saw both first and last Issewed forth and went vnto the dore To enter in but found it locked fast It vaine she thought with rigorous vprore For to efforce when charmes had closed it afore Where force might not auaile their sleights and art