haughty enterprise Or who shall lend me wings with which frō ground My lowly verse may loftily arise And lift it selfe vnto the highest skyes More ample spirit then hetherto was wount Here needes me whiles the famous auncestryes Of my most dreaded Soueraigne I recount By which all earthly Princes she doth far surmount Ne vnder Sunne that shines so wide and faire Whence all that liues does borrow life and light Liues ought that to her linage may compaire Which though from earth it be deriued right Yet doth it selfe stretch forth to heuens hight And all the world with wonder ouerspred A labor huge exceeding far my might How shall fraile pen with feare disparaged Conceiue such soueraine glory and great bountyhed Argument worthy of Moeonian quill Or rather worthy of great Phoebus rote Whereon the ruines of great Ossa hill And triumphes of Phlegraean Ioue he wrote That all the Gods admird his lofty note But if some relish of that heuenly lay His learned daughters would to me report To decke my song withall I would assay Thy name O soueraine Queene to blazon far away Thy name O soueraine Queene thy realme and race From this renowmed Prince deriued arre Whom mightily vpheld that royall mace Which now thou bear'st to thee descended farre From mighty kings and conquerours in warre Thy fathers and thy great Grandfathers of gold Whose noble deeds aboue the Northern starre Immortall fame for euer hath enrold As in that old mans booke they were in order told The land which warlike Britons now possesse And therein haue their mighty empire raysd In antique times was saluage wildernesse Vnpeopled vnmannurd vnproud vnpraysd Ne was it Island then ne was it paysd Amid the Ocean waues ne was it sought Of merchaunts farre for profits therein praysd But was all desolate and of some thought By sea to haue bene frō the Celticke mayn-land brought Ne did it then deserue a name to haue Till that the venturous Mariner that way Learning his ship from those white rocks to saue Which all along the Southerne sea-coast lay Threatning vnheedy wrecke and rash decay For safety that same his sea-marke made And namd it Albion But later day Finding in it fit ports for fishers trade Gan more the same frequent and further to inuade But far in land a saluage nation dwelt Of hideous Giaunts and halfe beastly men That neuer tasted grace nor goodnes felt But like wild beastes lurking in loathsome den And flying fast as Roebucke through the fen All naked without shame or care of cold By hunting and by spoiling liueden Of stature huge and eke of corage bold That sonnes of men amazd their sternesse to behold But whence they sprong or how they were begott Vneath is to assure vneath to wene That monstrous error which doth some assott That Dioclesians fifty daughters shene Into this land by chaunce haue driuen bene Where companing with feends and filthy Sprights Through vaine illusion of their lust vnclene They brought forth Geaunts such dreadful wights As far exceeded men in their immeasurd mights They held this land and with their filthinesse Polluted this same gentle soyle long time That their owne mother loathd their beastlinesse And gan abhorre her broods vnkindly crime All were they borne of her owne 〈◊〉 slime Vntil that Brutus anciently deriu'd From roiall stocke of old Assaracs line Driuen by fatall error here arriu'd And them of their vniust possession depriu'd But ere he had established his throne And spred his empire to the vtmost shore He fought great batteils with his saluage fone In which he them defeated euermore And many 〈◊〉 left on groning 〈◊〉 That well can witnes yet vnto this day The westerne Hogh besprincled with the gore Of mighty Goemot whome in stout fray Corineus conquered and cruelly did slay And eke that ample Pitt yet far renownd For the large leape which Debon did compell 〈◊〉 to make being eight lugs of grownd Into the which retourning backe he fell But those three monstrons stones doe most excell Which that huge sonne of hideous Albion Whose father Hercules in Fraunce did quell Great Codmer threw in fierce contention At bold Canutus but of him was slaine anon In meed of these great conquests by them gott Corineus had that Prouince vtmost west To him assigned for his worthy lott Which of his name and memorable gest He called Gornwaile yet so called best And Debons shayre was that is Deuonshyre But 〈◊〉 had his portion from the rest The which he cald Ganutium for his hyre Now Gantium which Kent we comenly inquyre Thus Brute this Realme vnto his rule subdewd And raigned long in great felicity Lou'd of his freends and of his foes eschewd He left three sonnes his famous progeny Borne of fayre 〈◊〉 of Italy Mongst whom he 〈◊〉 his imperiall state And Locrine left chiefe Lord of Britany At last ripe age bad him surrender late His life and long good fortune vnto finall fate Locrine was left the soueraine Lord of all But Albanact had all the Northerne part Which of him selfe Albania he did call And Camber did possesse the Westerne quart Which 〈◊〉 now from Logris doth depart And each his portion peaceably enioyd Ne was there outward breach nor grudge in hart That once their quiet gouernment annoyd But each his paynes to others profit still employd Vntill a nation straung with visage swart And corage fierce that all men did affray Which through the world the swarmd in euery part And ouerflow'd all countries far away Like Noyes great flood with their importune sway This land inuaded with like violence And did themselues through all the North display Vntill that 〈◊〉 for his Realmes defence Did head against them make and strong munificence He them encountred a confused rout Foreby the Riuer that whylome was hight The ancient Abus where with courage stout He them defeated in victorious fight And chaste so fiercely after fearefull flight That forst their Chiefetain for his safeties sake Their Chiefetain Humber named was aright Vnto the mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to betake Where he an end of batteill and of life did make The king retourned proud of victory And insolent wox through vnwonted case That shortly he forgot the ieopardy Which in his land he lately did appease And fell to vaine voluptuous disease He lou'd 〈◊〉 Ladie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lou'd Whose wanton pleasures him too much did please That quite his hart from Guendolene remou'd Frō Guendolene his wife though alwaies faithful prou'd The noble daughter of Corineus Would not endure to bee so vile disdaind But gathering force and corage valorous Encountred him in batteill well ordaind In which him vanquisht she to fly constraind But she so fast pursewd that him she tooke And threw in bands where he till death remaind Al 's his faire Leman flying through a brooke She ouerhent nought moued with her piteous looke But both her selfe and eke her daughter deare Begotten by her kingly Paramoure The faire Sabrina almost dead with
astownd Vpstarted lightly from his looser make And his vnready weapons gan in hand to take But ere he could his armour on him dight Or gett his shield his monstrous enimy With sturdie steps came stalking in his sight An hideous Geaunt horrible and hye That with his tallnesse seemd to threat the skye The ground eke groned vnder him for dreed His liuing like saw neuer liuing eye Ne durst behold his stature did exceed The hight of three the tallest sonnes of mortall seed The greatest Earth his vncouth mother was And blustring AEolus his boasted syre Who with his breath which through the world doth pas Her hollow womb did secretly inspyre And fild her hidden caues with stormie yre That she conceiu'd and trebling the dew time In which the wombes of wemen doe expyre Brought forth this monstrous masse of earthly slyme Puft vp with emptie wynd and fild with sinfull cryme So growen great through arrogant delight Of th' high descent whereof he was yborne And through presumption of his matchlesse might All other powres and knighthood he did scorne Such now he marcheth to this man forlorne And left to losse his stalking steps are stayde Vpon a snaggy Oke which he had torne Out of his mothers bowelles and it made His mortall mace wherewith his foemen he dismayde That when the knight he spyde he gan aduaunce With huge force and insupportable mayne And towardes him with dreadfull fury praunce Who haplesse and eke hopelesse all in vaine Did to him pace sad battaile to darrayne Disarmd disgraste and inwardly dismayde And eke so faint in euery ioynt and vayne Through that fraile foūtain which him feeble made That scarsely could he weeld his bootlesse single blade The Geaunt strooke so maynly mercilesse That could haue ouerthrowne a stony towre And were not heuenly grace that him did blesse He had beene pouldred all as thin as flowre But he was wary of that deadly stowre And lightly lept from vnderneath the blow Yetso exceeding was the villeins powre That with the winde it did him ouerthrow And all his sences stoond that still he lay full low As when that diuelish yron Engin wrought In deepest Hell and framd by Furies skill With 〈◊〉 Nitre and quick Sulphur fraught And ramd with bollet rownd ordaind to kill Conceiueth fyre the heauens it doth fill With thundring noyse and all the ayre doth choke That none can breath nor see nor heare at will Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smok That th' onely breath him daunts who hath escapt the stroke So daunted when the Geaunt saw the knight His heauie hand he heaued vpon hye And him to dust thought to haue battred quight Vntill Duessa loud to him gan crye O great Orgoglio greatest vnder skye O hold thy mortall hand for Ladies sake Hold for my sake and doe him not to dye But vanquisht 〈◊〉 eternall bondflaue make And me thy worthy meed vnto thy Leman take He hearkned and did stay from further harmes To gayneso goodly guerdon as she spake So willingly she came into his armes Who her as willingly to grace did take And was possessed of his newfound make Then vp he tooke the slombred sencelesse corse And 〈◊〉 he could out of his swowne awake Him to his castle brought with hastie forse And in a Dongeon deep him threw without remorse From that day forth Duessa was his deare And highly honourd in his haughtie eye He gaue her gold and purple pall to weare And triple crowne set on her head full hye And her endowd with royall maiestye Then for to make her 〈◊〉 more of men And peoples hartes with awfull terror tye A monstrous beast ybredd in filthy fen He chose which he had kept long time in darksom den Such one it was as that renowmed Snake Which great Alcides in Stremona slew Long fostred in the filth of Lerna lake Whose many heades out budding euer new Did breed him endlesse labor to subdew But this same Monster much more vgly was For seuen great heads out of his body grew An yron brest and back of scaly bras And all embrewd in blood his eyes did shine as glas His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length That to the hous of heuenly gods it raught And with extorted powre and borrow'd strength The euerburning lamps from thence it braught And prowdly threw to ground as things of naught And vnderneath his filthy feer did tread The sacred thinges and holy heastes foretaught Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuen fold head He sett the false Duessa for more aw and dread The wofull Dwarfe which saw his maisters fall Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed And valiant knight become a cay 〈◊〉 thrall When all was past tooke vp his forlorne weed His mightie Armour missing most at need His siluer shield now idle maisterlesse His poynant speare that many made to bleed The ruefull moniments of heauinesse And with them all departes to tell his great distresse He had not trauaild long when on 〈◊〉 way He wofull Lady wofull Vna met Fast flying from that Paynims greedy pray Whilest Satyrane him from pursuit did let Who when her eyes she on the Dwarf had set And saw the signes that deadly tydinges spake She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret And liuely breath her sad brest did forsake Yet might her pittcous hart be seene to pant and quake The messenger of so vnhappie newes Would faine haue dyde dead was his hart within Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes At last recouering hart he does begin To rubb her temples and to chaufe her chin And euerie tender part does tosse and turne So hardly he the flitted life does win Vnto her natiue prison to retourne Then gins her grieued ghost thus to lament mourne Ye dreaty instruments of dolefull sight That doe this deadly spectacle behold Why do ye lenger feed on loathed light Or liking find to gaze on earthly mould Sith cruell fates the carefull threds vnfould The which my life and loue together tyde Now let the stony dart of sencelesse cold Perce to my hart and pas through euerie side And let eternall night so sad fro me hyde O light some day the lampe of highest Ioue First made by him mens wandring wayes to guyde When darknesse he in deepest 〈◊〉 droue Henceforth 〈◊〉 hated face for euer hyde And shut vp heauens windowes shyning wyde For earthly sight can nought but sorow breed And late 〈◊〉 which shall long abyde Mine eyes no more on 〈◊〉 shall feed But seeled vp with death shall haue their deadly meed Then downe againe she fell vnto the ground But he her quickly reared vp againe Thrise did she sinke 〈◊〉 in deadly swownd And thrise he her 〈◊〉 with busie paine At last when life recouer'd had the raine And ouer-wrestled his strong enimy With foltring tong and trembling euerie vaine Tell on quoth she the wofull Tragedy The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eye Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight And
to riue steele plates and helmets hew Were 〈◊〉 consum'd and all his vitall powres Decayd and al his flesh shronk vp like withered flowres Whome when his Lady saw to him she ran With hasty ioy to see him made her glad And sad to view his visage pale and wan Who earst in flowres of freshest youth was clad Tho when her well of teares she wasted had She said Ah dearest Lord what euill starre On you hath frownd and pourd his influence bad That of your selfe ye thus berobbed arre And this misseeming hew your māly looks doth marre But welcome now my Lord in wele or woe Whose presence I haue lackt too long a day And fie on Fortune mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose wrathful wreakes them selues doe now alay And for these wronges shall treble penaunce pay Of treble good good growes of euils priefe The chearelesse man whom sorow did dismay Had no delight to treaten of his griefe His long endured famine needed more reliefe Faire Lady then said that victorious knight The things that grieuous were to doe or beare Them to renew I wote breeds no delight Best musicke breeds delight in loathing eare But th' only good that growes of passed feare Is to be wise and ware of like agein This daies ensample hath this lesson deare Deepe written in my heart with yron pen That blisse may not abide in state of mortall men Henceforth Sir knight take to you wonted strength And maister these mishaps with patient might Loe wher your foe lies stretcht in monstrous length And loe that wicked woman in your sight The 〈◊〉 of all your care and wretched plight Now in your powre to let her liue or die To doe her die qd Vna were despight And shame t' auenge so weake an enimy But spoile her of her scarlot robe and let her fly So as she bad that witch they disaraid And robd of roiall robes and purple pall And ornaments that richly were displaid Ne spared they to strip her naked all Then when they had despoyld her tire and call Such as she was their eies might her behold That her misshaped parts did them appall A loathly wrinckled hag ill fauoured old Whose secret filth good manners biddeth not be told Her crafty head was altogether bald And as in hate of honorable eld Was ouergrowne with scurfe and filthy scald Her teeth out of her rotten gummes were feld And her sowre breath abhominably smeld Her dried dugs lyke bladders lacking wind Hong downe and filthy matter from them w eld Her wrizled skin as rough as maple rind So scabby was that would haue loathd all womankind Her neather parts the shame of all her kind My 〈◊〉 Muse for shame doth blush to write But at her rompe she growing had behind A foxes taile with dong all fowly dight And eke her feete most monstrous were in sight For one of them was like an Eagles claw With griping talaunts armd to greedy fight The other like a beares vneuen paw More vgly shape yet neuer liuing creature saw Which when the knights beheld amazd they were And wondred at so fowle deformed wight Such then said Vna as she seemeth here Such is the face of falshood such the sight Of fowle Duessa when her borrowed light Is laid away and counterfesaunce knowne Thus when they had the witch disrobed quight And all her filthy feature open showne They let her goe at will and wander waies vnknowne Shee flying fast from heauens hated face And from the world that her discouered wide Fled to the wastfull wildernesse apace From liuing eies her open shame to hide And lurkt in rocks and caues long vnespide But that faire crew of knights and Vna faire Did in that castle afterwards abide To rest them selues and weary powres repaire Where store they fownd of al that dainty was and rare Cant. IX His loues and lignage Arthure tells the knights knitt friendly hands Sir Treuisan flies from Despeyre Whom Redcros knight withstands O goodly golden chayne wherewith yfere The vertues linked are in louely wize And noble mindes of yore allyed were In braue poursuitt of cheualrous emprize That none did others safety despize Nor aid enuy to him in need that stands But friendly each did others praise deuize How to aduaunce with fauourable hands As this good Prince redeemd the Redcrosse knight from bands Who when their powres empayrd through labor long With dew repast they had recured well And that weake captiue wight now wexed strong Them list no lenger there at leasure dwell But forward fare as their aduentures fell But ere they parted Vna faire besought That straunger knight his name and nation tell Least so great good as he for her had wrought Should die vnknown buried be in thankles thought Faire virgin said the Prince yee mere quire A thing without the compas of my witt For both the lignage and the certein Sire From which I sprong from mee are hidden yitt For all so soone as life did me admitt Into this world and shewed heuens light From mothers pap I taken was vnfitt And streight deliuered to a Fary knight To be vpbrought in gentle thewes and martiall might Vnto old Timon he me brought byliue Old Timon who in youthly yeares hath beene In warlike feates th'expertest man aliue And is the wisest now on earth I weene His dwelling is low in a valley greene Vnder the foot of Rauran mossy hore From whence the riuer d ee as siluer cleene His tombling dillowes rolls with gentle rore There all my daies he traind mee vp in vertuous lore Thether the great magicien Merlin came As was his vse ofttimes to visitt mee For he had charge my discipline to frame And Tutors nouriture to ouersee Him oft and oft I askt in priuity Of what loines and what lignage I did spring Whose aunswere bad me still assured bee That I was sonne and heire vnto a king As time in her iust term the truth to light should bring Well worthy impe said then the Lady gent And Pupill fitt for such a Tutors hand But what aduenture or what high intent Hath brought you hether into Fary land Aread Prince Arthure crowne of Martiall band Full hard it is qd he to read aright The course of heauenly cause or vnderstand The secret meaning of th' eternall might That rules mens waies and rules the thoughts of Luing wight For whether he through fatal deepe foresight Me hither sent for cause to me vnghest Or that fresh bleeding wound which day and night Whilome doth rancle in my riuen brest With forced fury following his behest Me hether brought by wayes yet neuer found You to haue helpt I hold my selfe yet blest Ah courteous knight quoth she what secret wound Could euer find to grieue the gentlest hart on ground Deare Dame quoth he you sleeping sparkes awake Which troubled once into huge flames will grow Ne euer will their feruent fury slake Till liuing moysture into smoke do flow And wasted life doe lye in ashes low
this distressed doubtfull agony When him his dearest Vna did behold Disdeining life desiring leaue to dye She found her selfe assayld with great perplexity And came to Coelia to declare her smart Who well acquainted with that commune plight Which sinfull horror workes in wounded hart Her wisely comforted all that she might With goodly counsell and aduisement right And streightway sent with carefull diligence To fetch a Leach the which had great insight In that disease of grieued conscience And well could cure the same His name was Patience Who comming to that sowle-diseased knight Could hardly him intreat to tell his grief Which knowne and all that noyd his heauie spright Well searcht 〈◊〉 he gan apply relief Of salues and med'cines which had passing prief And there to added wordes of wondrous might By which to ease he him recured brief And much aswag'd the passion of his plight That he his paine endur'd as seeming now more light But yet the cause and root of all his ill Inward corruption and infected sin Not purg'd nor heald behind remained still And festring sore did ranckle yett within Close creeping twixt the marow and the skin Which to extirpe he laid him priuily Downe in a darksome lowly place far in Whereas he meant his corrosiues to apply And with streight diet tame his stubborne malady In ashes and sackcloth he did array His 〈◊〉 corse proud humors to abate And dieted with fasting euery day The swelling of his woundes to mitigate And made him pray both earely and eke late And euer as superfluous flesh did rott Amendment readie still at hand did wayt To pluck it out with pincers fyrie whott That soone in him was lefte no one corrupted iott And bitter Penaunce with an yron whip Was wont him once to disple euery day And sharpe Remorse his hart did prick and nip That drops of blood thence like a well did play And sad Repentance vsed to embay His blamefull body in salt water sore The filthy blottes of sin to wash away So in short space they did to health restore The man that would not liue but erst lay at deathes dore In which his torment often was so great That like a Lyon he would cry and rore And rend his flesh and his owne synewes 〈◊〉 His owne deare Vna hearing euermore His ruefull shriekes and gronings often tore Her guiltlesse garments and her golden heare For pitty of his payne and anguish sore Yet all with patience wisely she did beare For well she wist his cryme could els be neuer cleare Whom thus recouer'd by wise Patience And trew Repentaunce they to Vna brought Who ioyous of his cured conscience Him dearely kist and fayrely eke besought Himselfe to chearish and consuming thought To put away out of his carefull brest By this Charissa late in child-bed brought Was woxen strong and left her fruitfull nest To her fayre Vna brought this vnacquainted guest She was a woman in her freshest age Of wondrous beauty and of bounty rare With goodly grace and comely personage That was on earth not easie to compare Full of great loue but Cupids wanton snare As hell she hated chaste in worke and will Her necke and brests were euer open bare That ay thereof her babes might sucke their fill The rest was all in yellow robes arayed still A multitude of babes about her hong Playing their sportes that ioyd her to behold Whom still she fed whiles they were weak young But thrust them forth still as they wexed old And on her head she wore a tyre of gold Adornd with gemmes and owches wondrous fayre Whose passing price vneath was to be told And by her syde there sate a gentle payre Of turtle doues she sitting in an yuory chayre The knight and Vna entring fayre her greet And bid her ioy of that her happy brood Who them requites with court'sies seeming meet And entertaynes with friendly chearefull mood Then Vna her besought to be so good As in her vertuous rules to schoole her knight Now after all his torment well withstood In that sad house of Penaunce where his spright Had past the paines of hell and long enduring night She was rightioyious of her iust request And taking by the hand that Faeries sonne Gan him instruct in euerie good behest Of loue and righteousnes and well to donne And wrath and hatred warely to shonne That drew on men Gods hatred and his wrath And many soules in dolours had fordonne In which when him she well instructed hath From thence to heauē she teacheth him the ready path Wherein his weaker wandring steps to guyde An auncient matrone she to her does call Whose sober lookes her wisedome well descryde Her name was Mercy well knowne ouer all To be both gratious and eke liberall To whom the carefull charge of him she gaue To leade aright that he should neuer fall In all his waies through this wide worldes waue That Mercy in the end his righteous soule might saue The godly Matrone by the hand him beares Forth from her presence by a narrow way Scattred with bushy thornes and ragged breares Which still before him she remou'd away That nothing might his ready passage stay And euer when his feet encombred were Or gan to shrinke or from the right to stray She held him fast and firmely did vpbeare As carefull Nourse her child from falling oft does reare Eftsoones vnto an holy Hospitall That was fore by the way she did him bring In which seuen Bead-men that had vowed all Their life to seruice of high heauens king Did spend their daies in doing godly thing There gates to all were open euermore That by the wearie way were traueiling And one sate wayting euer them before To call in-commers by that needy were and pore The first of them that eldest was and best Of all the house had charge and gouernement As Guardian and Steward of the rest His office was to giue entertainement And lodging vnto all that came and went Not vnto such as could him feast againe And double quite for that he on them spent But such as want of harbour did constraine Those for Gods sake his dewty was to entertaine The second was as Almner of the place His office was the hungry for to feed And thristy giue to drinke a worke of grace He feard not once him selfe to be in need Ne car'd to hoord for those whom he did breede The grace of God he layd vp still in store Which as a stocke he left vnto his seede He had enough what need him care for more And had he lesse yet some he would giue to the pore The third had of their wardrobe custody In which were not rich tyres nor garments gay The plumes of pride and winges of vanity But clothes meet to keepe keene cold away And naked nature seemely to aray With which bare wretched wights he dayly clad The images of God in earthly clay And if that no spare clothes to giue he had His
were Faire knight qd he 〈◊〉 that is The new Hierusalem that God has built For those to dwell in that are chosen his His chosen people purg'd from sinful guilt With piteous blood which cruelly was spilt On cursed tree of that vnspotted lam That for the sinnes of al the world was kilt Now are they Saints all in that Citty sam More dear 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 Fary Queene doth dwell The fairest Citty was that might be seene And that bright towre all built of christall clene Panthea seemd the brightest thing that was But now by proofe all otherwise I weene For this great Citty 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 Gleopolis for earthly fame The fairest peece that eie beholden can And well beseemes all knights of noble name That couett in th' immortall booke of fame To be eternized that same to haunt And doen their seruice to that soueraigne Dame That glory does to them for guerdon graunt For she is heuenly borne and heauen may iustly vaunt And thou faire ymp sprong out from English race How euer now accompted Elfins sonne Well worthy doest thy seruice for her grace To aide a virgin desolate foredonne But when thou famous victory hast wonne And high emongst all knights hast hong thy shield Thenceforth the suitt of earthly conquest shonne And wash thy hands from guilt of bloody field For blood can nought but sin wars but sorrows yield Then seek this path that I to thee presage Which after all to heauen shall thee send Then peaceably thy painefull pilgrimage To yonder same Hierusalem doe 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 qd he of so great grace How dare I thinke such glory to attaine These that haue it attaynd were in like cace As wretched men and liued in like paine But deeds of armes must I at last be faine And Ladies loue to leaue so dearely bought What need of armes where peace doth ay remaine Said he and bitter battailes all ate fought As for loose loues they' are vaine vanish into nought O let me not quoth he then turne againe Backe to the world whose ioyes so fruitlesse are But let me heare for aie in peace remaine Or streight way on that last long voiage fare That nothing may my present hope empare That may not be said he ne maist thou yitt Forgoe that royal maides bequeathed care Who did her cause into thy hand committ Till from her cursed foe thou haue her freely quitt Then shall I soone qd he so God me grace Abett that virgins cause disconsolate And shortly back returne vnto this place To walke this way in Pilgrims poore estate But now aread old father why of late Didst thou behight me borne of English blood Whom all a Faeries sonne doen nominate That word shall I said he auouchen good Sith to thee is vnknowne the cradle of thy brood For well I wote thou springst from ancient race Of Saxon kinges that haue with mightie hand And many bloody battailes fought in 〈◊〉 High reard their royall throne in Britans land And vanquisht them vnable to withstand From thence a Faery thee 〈◊〉 reft There as thou slepst in tender swadling band And her base Elfin brood there for thee left Such men do Chaungelings call so chaungd by Faeries theft Thence she thee brought into this Faery lond And in an heaped furrow did thee hyde Where thee a Ploughman all vnweeting fond As he his toylesome teme that way did guyde And btought thee vp 〈◊〉 ploughmans state to byde Whereof Georgos he thee gaue to name Till prickt with courage and thy forces pryde To Fary court thou cam'st to seeke for fame And proue thy puissaunt armes as seemes thee best became O holy Sire quoth he how shall I quight The many fauours I with thee haue fownd That hast my name and nation redd aright And taught the way that does to heauen bownd This saide adowne he looked to the grownd To haue returnd but dazed were his eyne Through passing brightnes which did quite cōfound His feeble sence and too exceeding shyne So darke are earthly thinges compard to things diuine At last whenas himselfe he gan to fynd To Vna back he cast him to retyre Who him awaited still with pensiue mynd Great thankes and goodly meed to that good syre He thens departing gaue for his paynes hyre So came to Vna who him ioyd to see And after litle rest gan him desyre Of her aduenture myndfull for to bee So leaue they take of Coelia and her daughters three Cant XI The knight with that old Dragon fights two dayes incessantly The third him ouerthrowes and gayns most glorious victory HIgh time now gan it wex for Vna fayre To thinke of those her captiue Parents deare And their for wasted kingdom to repayre Whereto whenas they now approched neare With hartie wordes her knight she gan to cheare And in her modest maner thus bespake Deare knight as deare as euer knight was deare That all these sorrowes suffer for my sake High heuen behold the tedious toyle ye for me take Now are we come vnto my natiue soyle And to the place where all our perilles dwell Here hauntes that feend and does his dayly spoyle Therefore henceforth bee it your keeping well And euer ready for your foeman fell The sparke of noble corage now awake And striue your excellent selfe to excell That shall ye euermore renowmed make Aboue all knights on earth that batteill vndertake With that they heard a roaring hideous sownd That all the ayre with terror filled wyde And seemd vneath to shake the stedfast ground Eftsoones that dreadfull Dragon they espyde Where stretcht he lay vpon the sunny side Of a great hill himselfe like a great hill But all so soone as he from far descryde Those glistring armes that heuen with light did fill He rousd himselfe full blyth and hastned them vntill Then badd the knight this Lady yede aloof And to an hill her selfe withdraw asyde From whence she might behold that battailles proof And ēke be safe from daunger far descryde She him obayd and turnd a litle wyde Now O thou sacred Muse most learned Dame Fayre ympe of Phoebus and his aged bryde The Nourse of time and euerlasting fame That warlike handes ennoblest with immortall name O gently come into my feeble brest Come gently but not with that mightie rage Wherewith the martiall troupes thou doest infest And hartes of great Heroës doest enrage That nought their kindled corage may aswage Soone as thy dreadfull trompe begins to sownd
Least his long way his aged limbes should tire And if by lookes one may the mind aread He seemd to be a sage and sober syre And euer with slow pace the knight did lead Who taught his trampling steed with equall steps to tread Such whenas Archimago them did view He weened well to worke some vncouth wyle Eftsoones vntwisting his 〈◊〉 clew He gan to weaue a web of wicked guyle And with faire countenance and flattring style To them approching thus the knight bespake Fayre sonne of Mars that seeke with warlike spoyle And great atchieu'ments great your selfe to make Vouchsafe to stay your steed for humble misers sake He stayd his steed for humble misers sake And badd tell on the tenor of his playnt Who feigning then in euery limb to quake Through inward feare and seeming pale and faynt With piteous mone his percing speach gan paynt Deare Lady how shall I declare thy cace Whom late I left in languorous constraynt Would God thy selfe now present were in place To tell this ruefull tale thy sight could win thee grace Or rather would O would it so had chaunst That you most noble Sir had present beene When that lewd rybauld with vyle lust aduaunst Laid first his filthie hands on virgin cleene To spoyle her dainty corps so faire and sheene As on the earth great mother of vs all With liuing eye more fayre was neuer seene Of chastity and honour virginall Witnes ye heauens whom she in vaine to help did call How may it be sdyd then the knight halfe wroth That knight should knighthood euer so haue shent None but that saw qd he would weene for troth How shamefully that Mayd he did torment Her looser golden lockes he rudely rent And drew her on the ground and his sharpe sword Against her snowy brest he fiercely bent And threatned death with many a bloodie word Tongue hates to tell the rest that eye to see abhord Therewith amoued from his sober mood And liues he yet said he that wrought this act And doen the heauens afford him vitall food He liues quoth he and boasteth of the fact Ne yet hath any knight his courage crackt Where may that treach our then sayd he be found Or by what meanes may I his footing tract That shall I shew sayd he as sure as hound The strickē Deare doth chaleng by the bleeding wound He stayd not lenger talke but with fierce yre And zealous haste away is quickly gone To seeke that knight where him that crafty Squyre Supposd to be They do arriue anone Where sate a gentle Lady all alone With garments rent and heare discheueled Wringing her handes and making piteous mone Her swollen eyes were much disfigured And her faire face with teares was fowly blubbered The knight approching nigh thus to her said Fayre Lady through fowle sorrow ill bedight Great pitty is to see you thus dismayd And marre the blossom of your beauty bright For thy appease your griefe and heauy plight And tell the cause of your conceiued payne For if he liue that hath you doen despight He shall you doe dew recompence agayne Or els his wrong with greater puissance maintaine Which when she heard as in despightfull wise She wilfully her sorrow did augment And offred hope of comfort did despise Her golden lockes most cruelly she rent And scratcht her face with ghastly dreriment Ne would she speake nesee ne yet be seene But hid her visage and her head downe bent Either for grieuous shame or for great 〈◊〉 As if her hart with sorow had transfixed beene Till her that Squyre bespake Madame my life For Gods deare loue be not so wilfull bent But doe vouchsafe now to receiue reliefe The which good fortune doth to you present For what bootes it to weepe and to wayment When ill is chaunst but doth the ill increase And the weake minde with double woe torment When she her Squyre heard speake she gan 〈◊〉 Her voluntarie paine and feele some secret ease 〈◊〉 she said Ah gentle trustie Squyre What comfort can I wofull wretch conceaue Or why should euer I henceforth desyre To see faire heauens face and life not leaue Sith that false Traytour did my honour reaue False traytour certes saide the Faerie knight I read the man that euer would deceaue A gentle Lady or her wrong through might Death were too little paine for such a fowle despight But now fayre Lady comfort to you make And read who hath ye wrought this shamfull plight That short reuenge the man may ouertake Where so he be and soone vpon him light Certes saide she I wote not how he hight But vnder him a gray steede he did wield Whose sides with dapled circles weren dight Vpright he rode and in his siluer shield He bore a bloodie Crosse that quartred all the field Now by my head saide Guyon much I muse How that same knight should do so fowle amis Or euer gentle Damzell so abuse For may I boldly say he surely is A right good knight and trew of word ywis I present was and can it witnesse well When armes he swore and streight did enterpris Th' aduenture of the Errant damozell In which he hath great glory wonne as I heare tell Nathlesse he shortly shall againe be tryde And fairely quit him of th' imputed blame Els be ye sure he dearely shall abyde Or make you good amendment for the same All wrongs haue mendes but no amendes of shame Now therefore Lady rise out of your paine And see the saluing of your blotting name Full loth she seemd thereto but yet did faine For she was inly glad her purpose so to gaine Her purpose was not such as she did faine Ne yet her person such as it was seene But vnder simple shew and semblant plaine Lurkt false Duessa secretly vnseene As a chaste Virgin that had wronged beene So had false Archimago her disguysd To cloke her guile with sorrow and sad teene And eke himselfe had craftily deuisd To be her Squire and do her 〈◊〉 well aguisd Her late forlorne and naked he had found Where she did wander in waste wildernesse Lurking in rockes and caues far vnder ground And with greene mosse cou'ring her nakednesse To hide her shame and loathly filthinesse Sith her Prince Arthur of proud ornaments And borrowd beauty spoyld Her nathelesse Th' enchaunter finding fit for his intents Did thus reuest and deckt with dew habiliments For all he did was to deceiue good knights And draw them from pursuit of praise and fame To slug in slouth and sensuall delights And end their daies with irrenowmed shame And now exceeding griefe him ouercame To see the Redcrosse thus aduaunced hye Therefore this craftie engine he did frame Against his praise to stirre vp enmitye Of such as vertues like mote vnto him allye So now he Guyon guydes an vncouth way Through woods mountaines till they came at last Into a pleasant dale that 〈◊〉 lay Betwixt two hils whose high heads ouerplast The valley did
for her meeds Be therefore O my deare Lords pacifide And this misseeming discord meekely lay aside Her gracious words their rancour did appall And suncke so deepe into their boyling brests That downe they lett their cruell weapons fall And lowly did abase their lofty crests To her faire presence and discrete behests Then she began a treaty to procure And stablish termes betwixt both their requests That as a law for euer should endure Which to obserue in word of knights they did assure Which to confirme and fast to bind their league After their weary sweat and bloody toile She them besought during their quiet treague Into her lodging to repaire a while To rest themselues and grace to reconcile They soone consent so forth with her they fare Where they are well receiud and made to spoile Themselues of soiled armes and to prepare Their minds to pleasure their mouths to dainty fare And those two froward sisters their faire loues Came with them eke all were they wondrous loth And fained cheare as for the time behoues But could not colour yet so well the troth But that their natures bad appeard in both For both did at their second sister grutch And inly grieue as doth an hidden moth The inner garment frett not th'vtter touch One though ther cheare too 〈◊〉 th' other thought too mutch Elissa so the eldest hight did deeme Such entertainment base ne ought would eat Ne ought would speake but euermore did seeme As discontent for want of metth or meat No solace could her Paramour intreat Her once to show ne court nor dalliaunce But with bent lowring browes as she would threat She scould and frownd with froward countenaunce Vnworthy of faire Ladies comely gouernaunce But young Perissa was of other mynd Full of disport still laughing loosely light And quite contrary to her sisters kynd No measure in her mood no rule of right But poured out in pleasure and delight In wine and meats she flowd aboue the banck And in excesse exceeded her owne might In sumptuous tire she ioyd her selfe to pranck But of her loue too lauish litle haue she thanck First by her side did sitt the bold Sansloy Fitt mate for such a mincing mineon Who in her loosenesse tooke exceeding ioy Might not be found a francker franion Of her leawd parts to make companion But Huddibras more like a Malecontent Did see and grieue at his bold fashion Hardly could he endure his hardiment Yett still he satt and inly did him selfe torment Betwixt them both the faire Medina sate With sober grace and goodly carriage With equall measure she did moderate The strong extremities of their outrage That forward paire she euer would asswage When they would striue dew reason to exceed But that same froward twaine would accorage And of her plenty adde vnto their need So kept she them in order and her selfe in heed Thus fairely shee attempered her feast And pleasd them all with meete satiety At last when lust of meat and drinke was ceast She Guyon deare besought of curtesie To tell from whence he came through ieopardy And whether now on new aduenture bownd Who with bold grace and comely grauity Drawing to him the eies of all arownd From lofty siege began these words aloud to sownd This thy demaund O Lady doth reuiue Fresh memory in me of that great Queene Great and most glorious virgin Queene aliue That with her soueraine powre and scepter shene All Faery lond does peaceably sustene In widest Ocean she her throne does reare That ouer all the earth it may be seene As morning Sunne her beames dispredden cleare And in her face faire peace and mercy doth appeare In her the richesse of all heauenly grace In chiefe degree are heaped vp on hye And all that els this worlds enclosure bace Hath great or glorious in mortall eye Adornes the person of her Maiestye That men beholding so great excellence And rare perfection in mortalitye Doe her adore with sacred reuerence As th'Idole of her makers great magnificence To her I homage and my seruice owe In number of the noblest knightes on ground Mongst whom on me she deigned to bestowe Order of Maydenhead the most renownd That may this day in all the world be found An yearely solemne feast she wontes to make The day that first doth lead the yeare around To which all knights of worth and courage bold Resort to heare of straunge aduentures to be told There this old Palmer shewd himselfe that day And to that mighty Princesse did complaine Of grieuous mischiefes which a wicked Fay Had wrought and many whelmd in deadly paine Whereof he crau'd redresse My Soueraine Whose glory is in gracious deeds and ioyes Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine Eftsoones deuisd redresse for such annoyes Me all vnfitt for so great purpose she employes Now hath faire Phebe with her siluer face Thrise seene the shadowes of the neather world Sith last I left that honorable place In which her roiall presence is entrold Ne euer shall I rest in house nor hold Till I that false Acrasia haue wonne Of whose fowle deedes too hideous to bee told I witnesse am and this their wretched sonne Whose wofull parents she hath wickedly fordonne Tell on fayre Sir said she that dolefull tale From which sad ruth does seeme you to restraine That we may pitty such vnhappie bale And learne from pleasures poyson to abstaine Ill by ensample good doth often gayne Then forward he his purpose gan pursew And told the story of the mortall payne Which Mordant and Amauia did rew As with lamenting eyes him selfe did lately vew Night was far spent and now in Ocean deep Orion flying fast from hissing snake His flaming head did hasten for to steep When of his pitteous tale he end did make Whilst with delight of that he wisely spake Those guestes beguyled did beguyle their eyes Of kindly sleepe that did them ouertake At last when they had markt the chaunged skyes They wist their houre was spēt thē each to rest him hyes Cant. III. Vaine Braggadocchio getting Guyons horse is made the scorne Of knighthood trew and is of fayre Belphoebe fowle forlorne SO one as the morrow fayre with purple beames Disperst the shadowes of the misty night And Titan playing on the eastern streames Gan cleare the deawy ayre with springing light Sir Guyon mindfull of his vow yplight Vprose from drowsie couch and him addrest Vnto the iourney which he had behight His 〈◊〉 armes about his noble brest And many-folded shield he bound about his wrest Then taking Congè of that virgin pure The bloody-handed babe vnto her truth Did earnestly committ and her coniure In vertuous lore to traine his tender youth And all that gentle noriture ensueth And that so soone as ryper yeares he rought He might for memory of that dayes ruth Be called Ruddymane and thereby taught T' auenge his Parents death on thē that had it wrought So forth he far'd as now befell on foot
Sith his good steed is lately from him gone Patience perforce helplesse what may it boot To frett for anger or for griefe to mone His Palmer now shall foot no more alone So fortune wrought as vnder greene woodes syde He lately hard that dying Lady grone He left his steed without and speare besyde And rushed in on foot to ayd her cre she dyde The whyles a losell wandring by the way One that to bountie neuer cast his mynd Ne thought of honour euer did assay His baser brest but in his kestrell kynd A pleasing vaine of glory he did fynd To which his flowing toung and troublous spright Gaue him great ayd and made him more inclynd He that braue steed there finding ready dight Purloynd both steed and speare and ran away full light Now gan his hart all swell in iollity And of him selfe great hope and help conceiu'd That puffed vp with smoke of vanity And with selfe-loued personage deceiu'd He gan to hope of men to be receiu'd For such as he him thought or faine would bee But for in court gay portaunce he perceiu'd And gallant shew to be in greatest gree Eftsoones to court he cast t' aduaunce his first degree And by the way he chaunced to espy One sitting ydle on a sunny banck To whom auaunting in great brauery As Peacocke that his painted plumes doth pranck He smote his courser in the trembling flanck And to him threatned his hart-thrilling speare The seely man seeing him ryde so ranck And ayme at him fell flatt to ground for feare And crying Mercy loud his pitious handes gan reare Thereat the Scarcrow wexed wondrous prowd Through fortune of his first aduenture fayre And with big thundring voice reuyld him lowd Vile Caytiue vassall of dread and despayre Vnworthie of the commune breathed ayre Why liuest thou dead dog a lenger day And doest not vnto death thy selfe prepayre Dy or thy selfe my captiue yield for ay Great fauour I thee graunt for aunswere thus to stay Hold O deare Lord hold your dead-doing hand Then loud he cryde I am your humble thrall Ah wretch qd he thy destinies withstand My wrathfull will and doe 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 liegeman 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 sleightes and practick knauery From that day forth he cast for to vphold His ydle humour with fine slattery And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity Trompart fitt man for Braggadochio To serue at court in view of vaunting eye Vaineglorious man when fluttring wind does blow In his light winges 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 fayrest flowre in honourable seed So forth they pas a well consorted payre Till that at length with Archimage they meet Who seeing one that shone in armour fayre On goodly course thondring with his feet Eftsoones supposed him a person meet Of his 〈◊〉 to make the instrument For since the Redcrosse knight he erst did weet To beene with Guyon knitt in one consent The ill which earst to him he now to Guyon ment And comming close to Trompart gan inquere Of him what mightie 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 wronges which had committed bin By Guyon and by that false Redcrosse knight Which two through treason and deceiptfull gin Had slayne Sir Mordant and his Lady bright That more him honour win to wreak so foule despight Therewith all suddeinly he seemd enragd And threatned death with dreadfull countenaunce As if their liues had in his hand beene gagd 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 Doe lurke thou certeinly to mee areed That I may wreake on them their hainous hateful 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 doe puruay Your selfe of sword before that bloody day For they be two the prowest knights on grownd And oft approu'd in many hard assay And eke of surest steele that may be fownd Doe arme yourself against that day them to confownd Dotard saide he let be thy deepe aduise Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee faile And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wise Els neuer should thy iudgement be so frayle To measure manhood by the sword or mayle Is not enough fowre quarters of a man Withouten sword or shield an hoste to quayle Thou litle 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 knightes on euen coast Should neede of all his armes him to defend Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend When Braggadocchio saide Once I did sweare When with one sword seuen knightes I brought to end Thence forth in battaile neuer sword to beare But it were that which noblest knight on earth doth weare Perdy Sir knight saide then th'enchaunterbliue 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 deuice I vndertake Shall by to morrow by thy side be fond At which bold word that boaster gan to quake And wondred in his minde what mote that Monster make He stayd not for more bidding but away Was suddein vanished out of his sight The Northerne winde his wings did broad display At his commaund and reared him vp light From of the earth to take his aerie flight They lookt about but no where could espye Tract of his foot then dead through great affright They both nigh were and each bad other flye Both fled attonce ne euer backe retourned eye Till that they come vnto a forrest greene In which they
requyre Or think that ought those puissant hands may marre Death is for wretches borne vnder vnhappy starre Perdye then is it fitt for me said he That am I weene most wretched man aliue Burning in flames yet no flames can I see And dying dayly dayly 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 happy 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 fowle agrise That euery weighty thing they did vpbeare Ne ought mote euer sinck downe to the bottom there Whiles thus they strugled in that ydle waue And stroue in vaine the one him selfe to drowne The other both from drowning for to saue Lo to that shore one in an auncient gowne Whose hoary locks great grauitie did crowne Holding in hand a goodly arming sword By fortune came ledd with the troublous sowne Where drenched deepe he fownd in that dull ford The carefull seruaunt stryuing with his raging Lord. Him Atin spying knew right well of yore And lowdly cald Help helpe O Archimage To saue my Lord in wretched plight forlore Helpe with thy hand or with thy counsell sage Weake handes but counsell is most strong in age Him when the old man saw he woundred sore To see Pyrrhochles there so rudely rage Yet sithens helpe he saw he needed more Then pitty he in hast approched to the shore And cald Pyrrhochles what is this I see What hellish fury hath at earst thee hent Furious euer I thee knew to bee Yet neuer in this straunge astonishment These flames these flames he cryde do me torment What flames qd he when I thee present see In daunger rather to be drent then brent Harrow the flames which me consume said hee Ne can be quencht within my secret bowelles bee That cursed man that cruel feend of hell Furor oh Furor hath me thus bedight His deadly woundes within my liuers swell And his whott fyre burnes in mine entralles bright Kindled through his infernall brond of spight Sith late with him I batteill vaine would boste That now I weene Ioues dreaded thunder light Does scorch not halfe so sore nor damned ghoste In flaming Phlegeton does not so felly roste Which when as Archimago heard his griefe He knew right well and him attonce disarmd Then searcht his secret woundes and made a priefe Of euery place that was with bruzing harmd Or with the hidden fier inly warmd Which doen he balmes and herbes thereto applyde And euermore with mightie spels them charmd That in short space he has them qualifyde And him restor'd to helth that would haue algates dyde Cant. VII Guyon findes Mamon in a delue sunning his threasure hore Is by him tempted led downe To see his secrete store AS Pilot well expert in perilous waue That to a stedfast starre his course hath bent When foggy mistes or cloudy tempests haue The faithfull light of that faire lampe yblent And couer'd heauen with hideous dreriment Vpon his card and compas firmes his eye The maysters of his long experiment And to them does the steddy helme apply Bidding his winged vessell fairely forward fly So Guyon hauing lost his trustie guyde Late left beyond that Ydle lake proceedes Yet on his way of none accompanyde And euermore himselfe with comfort feedes Of his owne vertues and praise-worthie deedes So long he yode yet no aduenture found Which fame of her shrill trompet worthy reedes For still he traueild through wide wastfull ground That nought but desert wildernesse shewed all around At last he came vnto a gloomy glade Couer'd with boughes shrubs from heauens light Whereas he sitting found in secret shade An vncouth saluage and vnciuile wight Of griesly hew and fowle ill fauour'd sight His face with smoke was tand eies were bleard His head and beard with sout were ill bedight His cole-blacke hands did seeme to haue ben seard In smythes fire-spitting forge and nayles like clawes appeard His yron cote all ouergrowne with rust Was vnderneath enueloped with gold Whose glistring glosse darkned with filthy dust Well yet appeared to haue beene of old A worke of rich entayle and curious mould Wouen with antickes and wyld ymagery And in his lap a masse of coyne he told And turned vpside downe to feede his eye And couetous desire with his huge threasury And round about him lay on euery side Great heapes of gold that neuer could be spent Of which some were rude owre not purifide Of Malcibers deuouring element Some others were new driuen and distent Into great Ingowes and to wedges square Some in round plates withouten moniment But most were stampt and in their metal bare The antique shapes of kings and 〈◊〉 straung rare Soone as he Guyon saw in great affright And haste he rose for to remoue aside Those pretious hils from straungers enuious sight And downe them poured through an hole full wide Into the hollow earth them there to hide But Guyon lightly to him leaping stayd His hand that trembled as one terrifyde And though him selfe were at the sight dismayd Yet him perforce restraynd and to him doubtfull sayd What art thou man if man at all thou art That here in desert hast thine habitaunce And these rich hils of welth doest hide apart From the worldes eye and from her right vsaunce Thereat with staring eyes fixed askaunce In great disdaine he answerd Hardy Elfe That darest vew my direfull countenaunce I read thee rash and heedlesse of thy selfe To trouble my still seate and heapes of pretious pelfe God of the world and worldlings I me call Great Mammon greatest god below the skye That of my plenty poure out vnto all And vnto none my graces do enuye Riches renowme and principality Honour estate and all this worldes good For which men swinck and sweat incessantly Fro me do flow into an ample flood And in the hollow earth haue their eternall brood Wherefore if me thou deigne to serue and 〈◊〉 At thy commaund lo all these mountaines bee Or if to thy great mind or greedy vew All these may not suffise there shall to thee Ten times so much be nombred francke and free Mammon said he thy godheads vaunt is vaine And idle offers of thy golden fee To them that couet such eye-glutting gaine Proffer thy giftes and fitter seruaunts entertaine Me ill besits that in derdoing armes And honours suit my vowed daies do spend Vnto thy bounteous baytes and pleasing charmes With which weake men thou witchest to attend Regard of worldly mucke doth fowly blend And low abase the high heroicke spright That ioyes for crownes and kingdomes to contend Faire
and strong Lyke an huge caue hewne out of rocky clifte From whose rough vaut the ragged breaches hong Embost with massy gold of glorious guifte And with rich metall loaded euery rifte That heauy ruine they did seeme to threatt And ouer them Arachne high did lifte Her cunning web and spred her subtile nett Enwrapped in fowle smoke and clouds more black then Iett Both roofe and floore and walls were all of gold But ouergrowne with dust and old decay And hid in darkenes that none could behold The hew thereof for vew of cherefull day Did neuer in that house it selfe display But a faint shadow of vncertein light Such as a lamp whose life does fade away Or as the Moone cloathed with clowdy night Does shew to him that walkes in feare and sad affright In all that rowme was nothing to be seene But huge great yron chests and coffers strong All bard with double bends that none could weene Them to efforce by violence or wrong On euery side they placed were along But all the grownd with sculs was scattered And dead mens bones which round about were flōg Whose liues it seemed whilome there were shed And their vile carcases now leftvnburied They forward passe ne Guyon yet spoke word Till that they came vnto an yron dore Which to them opened of his owne accord And shewd of richesse such exceeding store As eie of man did neuer see before Ne euer could within one place be fownd Though all the wealth which is or was of yore Could gathered be through all the world arownd And that aboue were added to that vnder grownd The charge thereof vnto a couetous Spright Commaunded was who thereby did attend And warily awaited day and night From other couetous feends it to defend Who it to rob and ransacke did intend Then Hammon turning to that warriour said Loe here the worldes blis loe here the end To which al men doe ayme rich to be made Such grace now to be happy is before thee laid Certes sayd he I n'ill thine offred grace Ne to be made so happy doe intend Another blis before mine eyes I place Another happines another end To them that list these base regardes I lend But I in armes and in atchieuements braue Do rather choose my flitting houres to spend And to be Lord of those that riches haue Then them to haue my selfe and be their seruile sclaue Thereat the feend his gnashing teeth did grate And grieu'd so long to lacke his greedie pray For well he weened that so glorious bayte Would tempt his guest to take thereof assay Had he so doen he had him snatcht away More light then Culuer in the Faulcons fist Eternall God thee saue from such decay But when as Mammon saw his purpose mist Him to entrap vnwares another way he wist Thence forward he him ledd and shortly brought Vnto another rowme whose dore forthright To him did open as it had beene taught Therein an hundred raunges weren pight And hundred fournaces all burning bright By euery fournace many feendes did byde Deformed creatures horrible in sight And euery feend his busie paines applyde To melt the golden metall ready to be tryde One with great bellowes gathered filling ayre And with forst wind the fewell did inflame Another did the dying bronds repayre With dying tongs and sprinckled ofte the same With liquid waues fiers Vulcans rage to tame Who maystring them renewd his former heat Some scumd the drosse that from the metall came Some stird the molten owre with ladles great And euery one did swincke and euery one did sweat But when an earthly wight they present saw Glistring in armes and battailous aray From their whot work they did themselues withdraw To wonder at the sight for till that day They neuer creature saw that cam that way Their staring eyes sparckling with feruent fyre And vgly shapes did nigh the man dismay That were it not for shame he would retyre Till that him thus bespake their soueraine Lord syre Behold thou Faeries sonne with mortall eye That liuing eye before did neuer see The thing that thou didst craue so earnestly To weet whence all the wealth late shewd by mee Proceeded lo now is reueald to thee Here is the fountaine of the worldes good Now therefore if thou wilt enriched bee Auise thee well and chaunge thy wilfull mood Least thou perhaps hereafter wish and be withstood Suffise it then thou Money God qd hee That all thine ydle offers I refuse All that I need I haue what needeth mee To couet more then I haue cause to vse With such vaine shewes thy worldlinges vyle abuse But giue me leaue to follow mine emprise Mammon was much displeasd yet no'te he chuse But beare the rigour of his bold mesprise And thence him forward ledd him further to entise He brought him through a darksom narrow strayt To a broad gate all built of beaten gold The gate was open but therein did wayt A fturdie villein stryding stiffe and bold As if the highest God defy he would In his right hand an yron club he held And he himselfe was all of yron mould Yet had both life and sence and well could weld That cursed weapon when his cruell foes he queld Disdayne he called was and did disdayne To be so cald and who so did him call Sterne was his looke and full of stomacke vayne His portaunce terrible and stature tall Far passing th'hight of men terrestriall Like an huge Gyant of the Titans race That made him scorne all creatures great and small And with his pride all others powre deface More fitt emongst black fiendes then men to haue his place Soone as those glitterand armes he did espye That with their brightnesse made that darknes light His harmefull club he gan to hurtle hye And threaten batteill to the Faery knight Who likewise gan himselfe to batteill dight Till Mammon did his hasty hand with hold And counseld him abstaine from perilous fight For nothing might abash the villein bold Ne mortall steele emperce his miscreated mould So hauing him with reason pacifyde And the fiers Carle commaunding to forbeare He brought him in The rowme was large and wyde As it some Gyeld or solemne Temple weare Many great golden pillours did vpbeare The massy roofe and riches huge sustayne And euery pillour decked was full deare With crownes and Diademes titles vaine Which mortall Princes wore whiles they on earth did 〈◊〉 A route of people there assembled were Of euery sort and nation vnder skye Which with great vprore preaced to draw nere To th'vpper part where was aduaunced hye A stately siege of soueraine maiestye And thereon satt a woman gorgeous gay And richly cladd in robes of royaltye That neuer earthly Prince in such aray His glory did enhaunce and pompous pryde display Her face right wondrous faire did seeme to bee That her broad beauties beam great brightnes threw Through the dim shade that all men might it see Yet was not that same
her owne natiue hew But wrought by art and counterfetted shew Thereby more louers vnto her to call Nath'lesse most heuenly faire in deed and vew She by creation was till she did fall Thēceforth she sought for helps to 〈◊〉 crimewithall There as in glistring glory she did sitt She held a great gold chaine ylincked well Whose vpper end to highest heuen was knitt And lower part did reach to lowest Hell And all that preace did rownd about her swell To catchen hold of that long chaine thereby To climbe aloft and others to excell That was Ambition rash desire to sty And euery linck thereof a step of dignity Some thought to raise themselues to high degree By riches and vnrighteous reward Some by close shouldring some by flatteree Others through friendes others for base regard And all by wrong waies for themselues prepard Those that were vp themselues kept others low Those that were low themselues held others hard Ne suffred them to ryse or greater grow But euery one did 〈◊〉 his fellow downe to throw Which whenas Guyon saw he gan inquire What meant that preace about that Ladies 〈◊〉 And what she was that did so high aspyre Him Mammon answered That goodly one Whom all that folke with such contention Doeflock about my deare my daughter is Honour and dignitie from her alone Deriued are and all this worldes blis For which ye men doe striue few gett but many mis. And fayre Philotime she rightly hight The fairest wight that wonneth vnder skye But that this darksom neather world her light Doth dim with horror and deformity Worthie of heuen and hye felicitie From whence the gods haue her for enuy thrust But sith thou hast found fauour in mine eye Thy spouse I will her make if that thou lust That she may thee aduance for works and merits iust Gramercy Mammom said the gentle knight For so great grace and offred high estate But I that am fraile flesh and earthly wight Vnworthy match for such immortall mate My selfe well wote and mine vnequall fate And were I not yet is my trouth yplight And loue 〈◊〉 to other Lady late That to remoue the same I haue no might To 〈◊〉 loue causelesse is reproch to warlike knight 〈◊〉 emmoued was with inward wrath Yet forcing it to fayne him forth thence ledd Through griesly shadowes by a beaten path Into a gardin goodly garnished With hearbs fruits whose kinds mote not be redd Not such as earth out of her fruitfull woomb Throwes forth to men sweet and well savored But direfull deadly black both leafe and bloom Fitt to adorne the dead and deck the drery toombe There mournfull Cypresse grew in greatest store And trees of bitter Gall and Heben sad Dead sleeping Poppy and black Hellebore Cold Coloquintida and Tetra mad Mortall Samnitis and Cicuta bad Which with th'vniust Atheniens made to dy Wise Socrates who thereof quaffing glad Pourd out his life and last Philosophy To the fayre Critias his dearest Belamy The Gardin of Proserpina this hight And in the midst thereof a siluer seat With a thick Arber goodly ouerdight In which she often vsd from open heat Her selfe to shroud and pleasures to entreat Next thereunto did grow a goodly tree With braunches broad dispredd and body great Clothed with leaues that none the wood mote see And loaden all with fruit as thick as it might bee Their fruit were golden apples glistring bright That goodly was their glory to behold On earth like neuer grew ne liuing wight Like euer saw but they from hence were sold For those which Hercules with conquest bold Got from great Atlas daughters hence began And planted there did bring forth fruit of gold And those with which the Eubaean young man wan Swift Atalanta when through craft he her out ran Here also sprong that goodly golden fruit With which Acontius got his louer trew Whom he had long time sought with fruitlesse suit Here eke that famous golden Apple grew The which emongest the Gods false Ate threw For which th' Idaean Ladies disagreed Till partiall Paris dempt it Venus dew And had of her fayre Helen for his meed That many noble Greekes and Troians made to bleed The warlike Elfe much wondred at this tree So fayre and great that shadowed all the ground And his broad braunches laden with rich fee Did stretch themselues without the vtmost bound Of this great gardin compast with a mound Which ouer-hanging they themselues did steepe In a blacke flood which flow'd about it round That is the riuer of Cocytus deepe In which full many soules do endlesse wayle and weepe Which to behold he clomb vp to the bancke And looking downe saw many damned wightes In those sad waues which direfull deadly stancke Plonged continually of cruell Sprightes That with their piteous cryes and yelling shrightes They made the further shore resounden wide Emongst the rest of those same ruefull sightes One cursed creature he by chaunce espide That drenched lay full deepe vnder the Garden side Deepe was he drenched to the vpmost chin Yet gaped still as coueting to drinke Of the cold liquour which he waded in And stretching forth his hand did often thinke To reach the fruit which grew vpon the brincke But both the fruit from hand and flood from mouth Did fly abacke and made him vainely swincke The whiles he steru'd with hunger and with drouth He daily dyde yet neuer throughly dyen couth The knight him seeing labour so in vaine Askt who he was and what he ment thereby Who groning deepe thus answerd him againe Most cursed of all creatures vnder skye Lo Tantalus I here tormented lye Of whom high Ioue wont whylome feasted bee Lo here I now for want of food doe dye But if that thou be such as I thee see Of grace I pray thee giue to eat and drinke to mee Nay nay thou greedy Tantalus quoth he Abide the fortune of thy present fate And vnto all that liue in high degree Ensample be of mind more temperate To teach them how to vse their present state Then gan the cursed wretch alowd to cry Accusing highest Ioue and gods ingrate And eke blaspheming heauen bitterly As authour of vniustice there to let him dye He lookt a litle further and espyde Another wretch whose carcas deepe was drent Within the riuer which the same did hyde But both his handes most filthy feculent Aboue the water were on high extent And faynd to wash themselues incessantly Yet nothing cleaner were for such intent But rather fowler seemed to the eye So lost his labour vaine and ydle industry The knight him calling asked who he was Who lifting vp his head him answerd thus I Pilate am the falsest Iudge alas And most vniust that by vnrighteous And wicked doome to Iewes despiteous Deliuered vp the Lord of life to dye And did acquite a murdrer felonous The whiles my handes I washt in purity The whiles my soule was soyld with fowle iniquity Infinite moe tormented in like
nothing may withstand his stormy stowre The clowdes as thinges affrayd before him flye But all so soone as his outrageous powre Is layd they fiercely then begin to showre And as in scorne of his spent stormy spight Now all attonce their malice forth do poure So did Sir Guyon beare himselfe in fight And suffred rash Pyrrhochles waste his ydle might At last when as the Sarazin perceiu'd How that straunge sword refusd to serue his neede But when he stroke most strong the dint deceiu'd He flong it from him and deuoyd of dreed Vpon him lightly leaping without heed Twixt his two mighty armes engrasped fast Thinking to ouerthrowe and downe him tred But him in strength and skill the Prince surpast And through his nimble sleight did vnder him down cast Nought booted it the Paynim then to striue For as a Bittur in the Eagles clawe That may not hope by flight to scape aliue Still waytes for death with dread and trembling aw So he now fubiect to the victours law Did not once moue nor vpward cast his eye For vile disdaine and rancour which did gnaw His hart in twaine with sad melancholy As one that loathed life and yet despysd to dye But full of princely bounty and great mind The Conquerour nought cared him to slay But casting wronges and all reuenge behind More glory thought to giue life then decay And sayd Paynim this is thy dismall day Yet if thou wilt renounce thy miscreaunce And my trew liegeman yield thy selfe for ay Life will I graunt thee for thy valiaunce And all thy wronges will wipe out of my souenaunce Foole sayd the Pagan I thy gift defye But vse thy fortune as it doth befall And say that I not ouercome doe dye But in despight of life for death doe call Wroth was the Prince and sory yet withall That he so wilfully refused grace Yet sith his fate so cruelly did fall His shining Helmet he gan soone vnlace And left his headlesse body bleeding all the place By this Sir Guyon from his traunce awakt Life hauing maystered her sencelesse foe And looking vp when as his shield he lakt And sword saw not he wexed wondrous woe But when the Palmer whom he long ygoe Had lost he by him spyde right glad he grew And saide Deare sir whom wandring to and fro I long haue lackt I ioy thy face to vew Firme is thy faith whom daunger neuer fro me drew But read what wicked hand hath robbed mee Of my good sword and shield The Palmer glad With so fresh hew vprysing him to see Him answered fayre sonne be no whit sad For want of weapons they shall soone be had So gan he to discourse the whole debate Which that straunge knight for him sustained had And those two Sarazins confounded late Whose carcases on ground were horribly prostrate Which when he heard and saw the tokens trew His hart with great affection was embayd And to the Prince bowing reuerence dew As to the Patrone of his life thus sayd My Lord my liege by whose most gratious ayd I liue this day and see my foes subdewd What may 〈◊〉 to be for meede repayd Of so great graces as ye haue me shewd But to be euer bound To whom the Infant thus Fayre Sir what need Good turnes be counted as a seruile bond To bind their dooers to receiue their meed Are not all knightes by oath bound to withstond Oppreslours powre by armes and puissant hond Suffise that I haue done my dew in place So goodly purpose they together fond Of kindnesse and of courteous aggrace The whiles false Archimage and Atin fled apace Cant. IX The house of Temperance in which doth sober Alma dwell Besiegd of many foes whom straunger knightes to flight compell OF all Gods workes which doe this world adorne There is no one more faire and excellent Then is mans body both for powre and forme Whiles it is kept in sober gouernment But none then it more fowle and incedent Distempred through misrule and passions bace It growes a Monster and incontinent Doth loose his dignity and natiue grace Behold who list both one and other in this place After the Paynim brethren conquer'd were The Briton Prince recou'ring his stolne sword And Guyon his lost shield they both yfere Forth 〈◊〉 on their way in fayre accord Till him the Prince with gentle court did bord Sir knight mote I of you this court'sy read To weet why on your shield so goodly scord Beare ye the picture of that Ladies head Full liuely is the semblaunt though the substance dead Fayre Sir sayd he if in that picture dead Such life ye read and vertue in vaine shew What mote ye weene if the trew liuely-head Of that most glorious visage ye did vew But yf the beauty of her mind ye knew That is her bounty and imperiall powre Thousand times fairer then her mortal hew O how great wonder would your thoughts deuoure And infinite desire into your spirite ponre Shee is the mighty Queene of Faery Whose faire retraitt I in my shield doe beare Shee is the flowre of grace and ehastity Throughout the world renowmed far and neare My liefe my liege my Soueraine my deare Whose glory shineth as the morning starre And with her light the earth enlumines cleare Far reach her mercies and her praises farre As well in state of peace as puissaunce in warre Thrise happy man said then the Briton knight Whom gracious lott and thy great valiaunce Haue made thee soldier of that Princesse bright Which with her bounty and glad countenaunce Doth blesse her seruaunts and them high 〈◊〉 How may straunge knight hope euer to aspire By faithfull seruice and meete amenaunce Vnto such blisse sufficient were that hire For losse of thousand liues to die at her desire Said Guyon Noble Lord what meed so great Or grace of earthly Prince so soueraine But by your wondrous worth add 〈◊〉 feat Ye well may hope and easely attaine But were your will her sold to entertaine And numbred be mongst knights of Maydenhcd Great guerdon well I wore should you remaine And in her fauor high bee reckoned As Arthogall and Sophy now beene honored Certes then said the Prince I God auow That sith I armes and knighthood first did plight My whole desire hath beene and yet is now To serue that Queene with al my powre and might Seuen times the Sunne with his lamp-burning light Hath walkte about the world and I no lesse Sith of that Goddesse I haue sought the sight Yet no where can her find such happinesse Heuen doth to me enuy and fortune fauourlesse Fortune the foe of famous cheuisaunce Seldome said Guyon yields to vertue aide But in her way throwes mischiefe and mischaunce Whereby her course is stopt and passage staid But you faire Sir be not herewith dismaid But constant keepe the way in which ye stand Which were it not that I am els delaid With hard adventure which I haue in hand I labour would to
Of Chastity IT falls me here to write of Chastity The fayrest vertue far aboue the rest For which what needes me fetch from Faery Forreine ensamples it to haue exprest Sith it is shrined in my Soueraines brest And formd so liuely in each perfect part That to all Ladies which haue it profest Neede but behold the pourtraict of her hart If pourtrayd it might bee by any liuing 〈◊〉 But liuing art may not least part expresse Nor life-resembling pencill it can paynt All were it Zeuxis or Praxitcles His daedale hand would faile and greatly faynt And her perfections with his error taynt Ne Poets witt that passeth Painter farre In picturing the parts of beauty daynt So hard a workemanship aduenture darre For fear through wāt of words her excellence to marre How then shall I Apprentice of the skill That whilome in diuinest wits did rayne Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill Yet now my luckelesse lott doth me constrayne Hereto perforce But O dredd Souerayne Thus far forth pardon sith that choicest witt Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure playne That I in colourd showes may shadow itt And antique praises vnto present persons fitt But if in liuing colours and right hew Thy selfe thou couet to see pictured Who can it doe more liuely or more trew Then that sweete verse with Nectar sprinckeled In which a gracious seruaunt pictured His Cynthia his heauens fayrest light That with his melting sweetnes rauished And with the wonder of her beames bright My sences lulled are in slomber of delight But let that same delitious Poet lend A little leaue vnto a rusticke Muse To sing his mistresse prayse and let him mend If ought amis her liking may abuse Ne let his fayrest Cynthia refuse In mirrours more then one her selfe to see But either Glorian a let her chuse Or in Belphoebe fashioned to bee In th' one her rule in th' other her rare chastitee Cant. I. Guyon encountreth Britomart Fayre Florimell is chaced Duessaes traines and Materastaes champions are defaced THe famous Briton Prince and Faery knight After long wayes and perilous paines endur'd Hauing their weary limbes to perfect plight Restord and sory wounds right well recur'd Of the faire Alma greatly were procur'd To make there lenger soiourne and abode But when thereto they might not be allur'd From seeking praise and deeds of armes abrode They courteous conge tooke and forth together yode But the captiu'd Acrasia he sent Because of traueill long a nigher way With a strong gard all reskew to preuent And her to Faery court safe to conuay That her for witnes of his hard assay Vnto his Faery Queene he might present But he him selfe betooke another way To make more triall of his hardiment And seeke aduentures as he with Prince Arthure went Long so they traueiled through wastefull wayes Where daungers dwelt and perils most did wonne To hunt for glory and renowmed prayse Full many Countreyes they did ouerronne From the vprising to the setting Sunne And many hard aduentures did atchieue Of all the which they honour euer wonne Seeking the weake oppressed to relieue And to recouer right for such as wrong did 〈◊〉 At last as through an open plaine they 〈◊〉 They spide a knight that towards pricked fayre And him beside an aged Squire there rode That seemd to couch vnder his shield three-square As if that age badd him that burden spare And yield it those that stouter could it wield He them espying gan him selfe prepare And on his arme addresse his goodly shield That bore a Lion passant in a golden field Which seeing good Sir Guyon deare besought The Prince of grace to let him ronne that turne He graunted then the Faery quickly raught His poynant speare and sharply gan to spurne His fomy steed whose fiery feete did burne The verdant gras as he thereon did tread Ne did the other backe his foote returne But fiercely forward came withouten dread And bent his dreadful speare against the others head They beene ymett and both theyr points arriu'd But Guyon droue so furious and fell That seemd both shield and plate it would haue riu'd Nathelesse it bore his foe not from his sell Rut made him stagger as he were not well But Guyon selfe ere well he was aware Nigh a 〈◊〉 length behind his crouper fell Yet in his fall so well him selfe he bare That mischieuous mischaūce his 〈◊〉 limbs did spare Great shame and sorrow of that fall he tooke For neuer yet sith warlike armes he bore And shiuering speare in bloody field first shooke He fownd him selfe dishonored so sore Ah gentlest knight that euer armor bore Let not the grieue dismounted to haue beene And brought to grownd that neuer wast before For not thy fault but secret powre vnseene That speare enchaunted was which layd thee on the greene But weenedst thou what wight thee ouerthrew Much greater griefe and shamefuller regrett For thy hard fortune then thou wouldst renew That of a single damzell thou wert mett On equall plaine and there so hard besett Euen the famous Britomart it was Whom straunge aduentnre did from Britayne fett To seeke her louer loue far sought alas Whose image shee had seene in Venus looking glas Full of disdainefull wrath he fierce vprose For to reuenge that fowle reprochefull shame And snatching his bright sword began to close With her on foot and stoutly forward came Dye rather would he then endure that same Which when his Palmer saw he gan to feare His toward perill and vntoward blame Which by that new rencounter he should reare For death sate on the point of that enchaunted speare And hasting towards him gan fayre perswade Not to prouoke misfortune nor to weene His speares default to mend with cruell blade For by his mightie Science he had seene The secrete vertue of that weapon keene That mortall puissaunce mote not withstond Nothing on earth mote alwaies happy beene Great hazard were it and aduenture fond To loose long gotten honour with one euill hond By such good meanes he him discounselled From prosecuting his reuenging rage And eke the Prince like treaty handeled His wrathfull will with reason to aswage And laid the blame not to his carriage But to his starting steed that swaru'd asyde And to the ill purueyaunce of his page That had his furnitures not firmely tyde So is his angry corage fayrly pacifyde Thus reconcilement was betweene them knitt Through goodly temperaunce and affection chaste And either vowd with all their power and witt To let not others honour be defaste Offriend or foe who euer it embaste Ne armes to beare against the others syde In which accord the Prince was also plaste And with that golden chaine of concord tyde So goodly all agreed they forth yfere did ryde O goodly vsage of those antique tymes In which the sword was seruaunt vnto right When not for malice and contentious crymes But all for prayse and proofe of manly might The martiall brood accustomed to fight
And after hauing whispered a space Certein sad words with hollow voice and bace Shee to the virgin sayd thrise sayd she itt Come daughter come come spit vpon my face Spitt thrise vpon me thrise vpon me spitt Th'vneuen nomber for this busines is most fitt That sayd her rownd about she from her turnd She turned her contrary to the Sunne Thrife she her turnd contrary and returnd All contrary for she the right did shunne And euer what she did was streight vndonne So thought she to vndoe her daughters loue But loue that is in gentle brest begonne No ydle charmes so lightly may remoue That well can witnesse who by tryall it does proue Ne ought it mote the noble Mayd auayle Ne slake the fury of her cruell flame But that shee still did waste and still did wayle That through long languour hart-burning brame She shortly like a pyned ghost became Which long hath waited by the Stygian strond That when old Glauce saw for feare least blame Of her miscarriage should in her be fond She wist not how t' amend nor how it to withstond Cant. III. Merlin bewrayes to Britomart The state of Arthegall And shews the famous Progeny Which from them springen shall MOst sacred fyre that burnest mightily In liuing brests ykindled first aboue Emongst th' eternall spheres and lamping sky And thence pourd into men which men call Loue Not that same which doth base affections moue In brutish mindes and filthy Iust inflame But that sweete fit that doth true beautie loue And choseth vertue for his dearest Dame Whence spring all noble deedes and neuer dying same Well did Antiquity a God thee deeme That ouer mortall mindes hast so great might To order them as best to thee doth seeme And all their actions to direct aright The fatall purpose of diuine foresight Thou doest effect in destined descents Through deepe impression of thy secret might And stirredst vp th'Heroes high intents Which the late world admyres for wōdrous monimēts But thy dredd dartes in none doe triumph more Ne brauer proofe in any of thy powre Shew'dst thou then in this royall Maid of yore Making her seeke an vnknowne Paramoure From the worlds end through many a bitter stowre From whose two loynes thou afterwardes did rayse Most famous fruites of matrimoniall bowre Which through the earth haue spredd their liuing prayse That fame in tromp of gold eternally displayes Begin then O my dearest sacred Dame Daughter of Phoebus and of Memorye That doest ennoble with immortall name The warlike Worthies from antiquitye In thy great volume of Eternitye Begin O Clio and recount from hence My glorious Soueraines goodly auncestrye Till that by dew degrees and long protense Thou haue it lastly brought vnto her Excellence Full many wayes within her troubled mind Old Glauce cast to cure this Ladies griefe Full many waies she sought but none could find Nor herbes nor charmes nor counsel that is chiefe And choisest med'cine for sick harts reliefe For thy great care she tooke and greater feare Least that it should her turne to fowle repriese And sore reproch when so her father deare Should of his dearest daughters hard misfortune heare At last she her auisde that he which made That mirrhour wherein the sicke Damosell So straungely vewed her straunge louers shade To weet the learned Merlin well could tell Vnder what coast of heauen the man did dwell And by what means his loue might best be wrought For though beyond the Africk Ismael Or th' Indian Peru he were she thought Him forth through infinite endeuour to haue sought Forth with them selues disguising both in straunge And base atyre that none might them bewray To Maridunum that is now by chaunge Of name Cayr-Merdin cald they tooke their way There the wise Merlin whylome wont they say To make his wonne low vnderneath the ground In a deepe delue farre from the vew of day That of no liuing wight he mote be found When so he coūseld with his sprights encōpast round And if thou euer happen that same way To traueill go to see that dreadful place It is an hideous hollow caue they say Vnder a Rock that lyes a litle space From the swift Barry tombling downe apace Emongst the woody hilles of Dyneuowre But dare thou not I charge in any cace To enter into that same balefull Bowre For feare the cruell Feendes should thee vnwares deuowre But standing high aloft low lay thine eare And there such ghastly noyse of yron chaines And brasen Caudrons thou shalt rombling heare Which thousand sprights with long enduring paines Doe tosse that it will stonn thy feeble braines And oftentimes great grones grieuous stownds When too huge toile and labour them constraines And oftentimes loud strokes and ringing sowndes From vnder that deepe Rock most horribly rebowndes The cause some say is this A litle whyle Before that Merlin dyde he did intend A brasen wall in compas to compyle About Cairmardin and did it commend Vnto these Sprights to bring to perfect end During which worke the Lady of the Lake Whom long he lou'd for him in hast did send Who thereby forst his workemen to forsake Them bownd till his retourne their labour not to slake In the meane time through that false Ladies traine He was surprisd and buried vnder beare Ne euer to his worke returnd againe Nath'lesse those feends may not their work forbeare So greatly his commandement they feare But there doe toyle and traueile day and night Vntill that brasen wall they vp doe reare For Merlin had in Magick more insight Then euer him before or after liuing wight For he by wordes could call out of the sky Both Sunne and Moone and make them him obay The Land to sea and sea to maineland dry And darksom night he eke could turne to day Huge hostes of men he could alone dismay And hostes of men of meanest thinges could frame When so him list his enimies to fray That to this day for terror of his fame The feends do quake whē any him to them does name And sooth men say that he was not the sonne Of mortall Syre or other liuing wight But wondrously begotten and begonne By false illusion of a guilefull Spright On a faire Lady Nonne that whilome hight Matilda daughter to Pubidius Who was the Lord of Mathraual by right And coosen vnto king Ambrosius Whence he indued was with skill so merueilous They here ariuing staid a while without Ne durst aduenture rashly in to wend But of their first intent gan make new dout For dread of daunger which it might portend Vntill the hardy Mayd with loue to frend First entering the dreadfull Mage there fownd Deepe busied bout worke of wondrous end And writing straunge characters in the grownd With which the stubborne seendes he to his seruice bownd He nought was moued at their entraunce bold For of their comming well he wist afore Yet list them bid their businesse to vnfold As if ought in this world in
so nye That almost in the backe he oft her strake But still when him at hand she did espy She turnd and semblaunce of faire fight did make But when he stayd to flight againe she did her take By this the good Sir Satyrane gan wake Out of his dreame that did him long entraunce And seeing none in place he gan to make Exceeding mone and curst that cruell chaunce Which reft from him so faire a cheuisaunce At length he spyde whereas that wofull Squyre Whom he had reskewed from captiuaunce Of his strong foe lay tombled in the myre Vnable to arise or foot or hand to styre To whom approching well he more perceiue In that fowle plight a comely personage And louely face made fit for to deceiue Fraile Ladies hart with loves consuming rage Now in the blossome of his freshest age He reard him vp and loosd his yron bands And after gan inquire his parentage And how he fell into the Gyaunts hands And who that was which chaced her along the lands Then trembling yet through feare the Squire bespake That Geauntesse Argante is behight A daughter of the Titans which did make Warre against heuen and heaped hils on hight To scale the skyes and put Ioue from his right Her syre Typhoeus was who mad through merth And dronke with blood of men slaine by his might Through incest her of his owne mother Earth Whylome begot being but halfe twin of that berth For at that berth another Babe she bore To weet the mightie Ollyphant that wrought Great wreake to many errant knights of yore Till him Chylde Thopas to confusion brought These twinnes men say a thing far passing thought Whiles in their mothers wombe enclosd they were Ere they into the lightsom world were brought In fleshly lust were mingled both yfere And in that monstrous wise did to the world appere So liu'd they euer after in like sin Gainst natures law and good behaueoure But greatest shame was to that maiden twin Who not content so fowly to deuoure Her natiue flesh and staine her brothers bowre Did wallow in all other fleshly myre And suffred beastes her body to deflowre So whot she burned in that lustfull fyre Yet all that might not slake her sensuall desyre But ouer all the countrie she did raunge To seeke young men to 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 thrust And feed her fancy with delightfull chaunge Whom so she fittest findes to serue her lust Through her maine strēgth in which she most doth trust She with her bringes into a secret I le Where in eternall bondage dye he must Orbe the vassall of her pleasures vile And in all shamefull sort him selfe with her defile Me seely wretch she so at vauntage caught After she long in waite for me did lye And meant vnto her prison to haue brought Her lothsom pleasure there to satisfye That thousand deathes me leuer were to dye Then breake the vow that to faire Columbell I plighted haue and yet keepe stedfastly As for my name it mistreth not to tell Call me the Squyre of Dames that me beseemeth well But that bold knight whom ye pursuing saw That Geauntesse is not such as she seemd But a faire virgin that in martiall law And deedes of armes aboue all 〈◊〉 it deemd And aboue many knightes is eke esteemd For her great worth She Palladine is hight She you from death you me from dread redeemd Ne any may that Monster match in fight But she or 〈◊〉 as she that is so chaste a wight Her well beseemes that Quest quoth Satyrane But read thou Squyre of Dames what vow is this Which thou vpon thy selfe hast lately ta'ne That shall I you recount quoth he ywis So be ye pleasd to pardon all amis That gentle Lady whom I loue and serue After long suit and wearie seruicis Did aske me how I could her loue deserue And how she might be sure that I would neuer swerue I glad by any meanes her grace to gaine Badd her commaund my life to saue or spill Eftsoones she badd me with incessaunt paine To wander through the world abroad at will And euery where where with my power or skill I might doe seruice vnto gentle Dames That I the same should faithfully fulfill And at the twelue monethes end should bring their names And pledges as the spoiles of my victorious games So well I to faire Ladies seruice did And found such fauour in their louing hartes That ere the yeare his course had compassid Thre hundred pledges for my good desartes And thrise three hundred thanks for my good partes I with me brought and did to her present Which when she saw more bent to eke my 〈◊〉 Then to reward my trusty true intent She gan for me deuise a grieuous punishment To weet that I my traueill should resume And with like labour walke the world arownd Ne euer to her presence should presume Till I so many other Dames had fownd The which for all the suit I could propownd Would me refuse their pledges to afford But did abide for euer chaste and sownd Ah gentle Squyre quoth he tell at one word How many 〈◊〉 thou such to put in thy record In deed Sir knight said he one word may tell All that I euer fownd so wisely stayd For onely three they were disposd so well And yet three yeares I now abrode haue strayd To fynd them out Mote I then laughing sayd The knight inquire of thee what were those three The which thy proffred curtesie denayd Or ill they seemed sure auizd to bee Or brutishly brought vp that neu'r did fashions see The first which then refused me said hee Certes was but a common Courtisane Yet 〈◊〉 refusd to haue adoe with mee Because I could not giue her many a Iane. Thereat full hartely laughed Satyrane The second was an holy Nunne to chose Which would not let me be her Chappellane Because she knew she sayd I would disclose Her counsell if she should her trust in me repose The third a Damzell was of low degree Whom I in countrey cottage fownd by chaunce Full litle weened I that chastitee Had lodging in so meane a maintenaunce Yet was she fayre and in her countenaunce Dwelt simple truth in seemely fashion Long thus I woo'd her with dew obseruaunce In hope vnto my pleasure to haue won But was as far at last as when I first begon Safe her I neuer any woman found That chastity did for it selfe embrace But were for other causes firme and sound Either for want of handsome time and place Or else for feare of shame and fowle disgrace Thus am I hopelesse euer to attaine My Ladies loue in such a desperate case But all my dayes am like to waste in vaine Seeking to match the chaste with th'vnchaste Ladies traine Perdy sayd Satyrane thou Squyre of Dames Great labour fondly hast thou hent in hand To get small thankes and there with many blames That may emongst Alcides labours stand Thence bace returning to the former land
girlond of the mighty Conquerours That madest many Ladies deare lament The heauie losse of their braue Paramours Which they far off beheld from Troian toures And saw the fieldes of faire 〈◊〉 strowne With carcases of noble warrioures Whose fruitlesse liues were vnder furrow sowne And Xanthus sandy bankes with blood all ouerslowne From him my linage I deriue aright Who long before the ten yeares siege of Troy Whiles yet on Ida he a shepeheard hight On faire Oenone got a louely boy Whom for remembrance of her passed ioy She of his Father Parius did name Who after Greekes did Priams realme destroy Gathred the Troian reliques sau'd from flame And with them sayling thence to th' Isle of Paros came That was by him cald Paros which before Hight Nausa there he many yeares did raine And built Nausicle by the Pontick shore The which he dying lefte next in remaine To Paridas his sonne From whom I Paridell by kin descend But for faire ladies loue and glories gaine My natiue soile haue lefte my dayes to spend In seewing deeds of armes my liues and labors end Whenas the noble Britom art heard tell Of Troian warres and Priams citie sackt The ruefull story of Sir Paridell She was empassiond at that piteous act With zelous enuy of Greekes cruell fact Against that nation from whose race of old She heard that she was lineally extract For noble Britons sprong from Troians bold And Troynouant was built of old Troyes ashes cold Then sighing soft awhile at last she thus O lamentable fall of famous towne Which raignd so many yeares victorious And of all Asie bore the soueraine crowne In one sad night consumd and throwen downe What stony hart that heares thy haplesse fate Is not empierst with deepe compassiowne And makes ensample of mans wretched state That floures so fresh at morne fades at euening late Behold Sir how your pitifull complaint Hath fownd another partner of your payne For nothing may impresse so deare constraint As countries cause and commune foes disdayne But if it should not grieue you backe agayne To turne your course I would to heare desyre What to Aeneas fell sith that men sayne He was not in the cities wofull fyre Consum'd but did him selfe to safety retyre Anchyses sonne begott of Venus fayre Said he out of the flames for safegard fled And with a remnant did to sea repayre Where he through fatall errour long was led Full many yeares and weetlesse wandered From shore to shore emongst the Lybick sandes Ere rest he fownd Much there he suffered And many perilles past in forreine landes To faue his people 〈◊〉 from victours vengefull handes At last in Latium he did arryue Where he with cruell warre was entertaind Of th'inland folke which sought him backe to driue Till he with old Latinus was constraind To contract wedlock so the fates ordaind Wedlocke contract in blood and eke in blood Accomplished that many deare complaind The riuall slaine the victour through the flood Escaped hardly hardly praisd his wedlock good Yet after all he victour did suruiue And with Latinus did the kingdom part But after when both nations gan to striue Into their names the title to conuart His sonne Iülus did from thence depart With all the warlike youth of Troians bloud And in long Alba plast his throne apart Where faire it florished and long time stoud Till Romulus renewing it to Rome remoud There there said Britomart a fresh appoard The glory of the later world to spring And Troy againe out of her dust was reard To sitt in second seat of soueraine king Of all the world vnder her gouerning But a third kingdom yet is to arise Out of the Troians scattered of spring That in all glory and great enterprise Both first and second Troy shall dare to equalise It Troynouant is hight that with the waues Of wealthy Thamis washed is along Vpon whose stubborne necks whereat he raues With roring rage and sore him selfe does throng That all men feare to tempt his billowes strong She fastned hath her foot which standes so hy That it a wonder of the world is song In forreine landes and all which passen by Beholding it from farre doe thinke it threates the skye The Troian Brute did first that citie fownd And Hygate made the meare thereof by west And Ouert gate by North that is the bownd Toward the land two riuers bownd the rest So huge a scope at first him seemed best To be the compasse of his kingdomes seat So huge a mind could not in lesser rest Ne in small meares containe his glory great That Albion had conquered first by warlike feat Ah fairest Lady knight said Paridell Pardon I pray my heedlesse ouersight Who had forgot that whylome I hard tell From aged Mnemon for my wits beene light Indeed he said if I remember right That of the antique Troian stocke there grew Another plant that raught to wondrous hight And far abroad his mightie braunches threw Into the 〈◊〉 Angle of the world he knew For that same Brute whom much he did aduaunce In all his speach was Syluius his sonne Whom hauing slain through luckles arrowes glaūce He fled for feare of that he had misdonne Or els for shame so fowle reproch to shonne And with him ledd to sea an youthly trayne Where wearie wandring they long time did wonne And many fortunes prou'd in th' Ocean mayne And great aduētures found that now were lōg to sayne At last by fatall course they driuen were Into an Island spatious and brode The furthest North that did to them appeare Which after rest they seeking farre abrode Found it the fittest soyle for their abode Fruitfull of all thinges fitt for liuing foode But wholy waste and void of peoples trode Saue an huge nation of the Geaunts broode That fed on liuing flesh dronck mens vitall blood Whom he through wearie wars and labours long Subdewd with losse of many Britons bold In which the great Goemagot of strong Corineus and Coulin of Debon old Were ouerthrowne and laide on th' earth full cold Which quaked vnder their so hideous masse A famous history to bee enrold In euerlasting moniments of brasse That all the antique Worthies merits far did passe His worke great Troynouant his worke is eke Faire Lincolne both renowmed far away That who from East to West will endlong seeke Cannot two fairer Cities find this day Except Cteopolis so heard I say Old Mnemon Therefore Sir I greet you well Your countrey kin and you entyrely pray Of pardon for the strife which late befell Betwixt vs both vnknowne So ended Paridell But all the while that he these speeches spent Vpon his lips hong faire Dame Hellenore With vigilant regard and dew attent Fashioning worldes of fancies euermore In her fraile witt that now her quite forlore The whiles vnwares away her wondring eye And greedy eares her weake hart from her bore Which he perceiuing euer priuily In speaking many false belgardes at her let fly So
the stubborne flames to yield him way But cruell Mulciber would not obay His threatfull pride but did the more augment His mighty rage and with imperious sway Him forst maulgre his fercenes to relent And backe retire all scorcht and pitifully brent With huge impatience he inly swelt More for great sorrow that he could not pas Then for the burning torment which he felt That with fell woodnes he effierced was And wilfully him throwing on the gras Did beat and bounse his head and brestful sore The whiles the Championesse now decked has The vtmost rowme and past the formest dore The vtmost rowme abounding with all precious store For round about the walls yclothed were With goodly arras of great maiesty Wouen with gold and silke so close and nere That the rich metall lurked priuily As faining to be hidd from enuious eye Yet here and there and euery where vnwares It shewd it selfe and shone vnwillingly Like to a discolourd Snake whose hidden snares Through the greene gras his long bright 〈◊〉 back declares And in those Tapets weren fashioned Many faire pourtraicts and many a faire feate And all of loue and al of lusty-hed As seemed by their semblaunt did entreat And eke all Cupids warres they did repeate And cruell battailes which he whilome fought Gainst all the Gods to make his empire great Besides the huge massacres which he wrought On mighty kings and kesars into thraldome brought Therein was writt how often thondring Ioue Had felt the point of his hart percing dart And leauing heauens kingdome here did roue In straunge disguize to slake his scalding smart Now like a Ram faire Helle to peruart Now like a Bull Europa to withdraw Ah how the fearefull Ladies tender hart Did liuely seeme to tremble when she saw The huge seas vnder her t' obay her seruaunts law Soone after that into a golden showre Him selfe he chaung'd faire Danaë to vew Ant through the roofe of her strong brasen towre Did raine into her lap an hony dew The whiles her foolish garde that litle knew Of such deceipt kept th'yron dore fast bard And watcht that none should enter nor issew Vaine was the watch and bootlesse all the ward Whenas the God to golden hew him selfe transfard Then was he turnd into a fnowy Swan To win faire Leda to his louely trade O wondrous skill and sweet wit of the man That her in 〈◊〉 sleeping made From scorching heat her daintie limbes to shade Whiles the proud Bird ruffing his fethers wyde And brushing his faire brest did her inuade Shee slept yet twixt her eielids closely spyde How towards her he rusht and smiled at his pryde Then shewd it how the Thebane Semelee Deceiud of gealous Iuno did require To see him in his souerayne maiestee Armd with his thunderbolts and lightning fire Whens dearely she with death bought her desire But faire 〈◊〉 better match did make Ioying his loue in likenes more entire Three nights in one they say that for her sake He then did put her pleasures lenger to partake Twise was he seene in soaring Eagles shape And with wide winges to beat the buxōme ayre Once when he with Asterie did scape Againe when as the Troiane boy so fayre He snatcht from Ida hill and with him bare Wondrous delight it was there to behould How the rude Shepheards 〈◊〉 him did stare Trembling through feare least down he fallen should And often to him calling to take surer hould In Satyres shape Antiopa he snatcht And like a fire when he Aegin ' assayd A shepeheard when 〈◊〉 he catcht And like a Serpent to the Thracian mayd Whyles thus on earth great Ioue these pageaunts playd The winged boy did thrust into his throne And scoffing thus vnto his mother sayd Lo now the heuens obey to me alone And take me for their Ioue whiles Ioue to earth is gone And thou faire Phoebus in thy colours bright Wast there enwouen and the sad distresse In which that boy thee plonged for despight That thou bewray'dst his mothers wantonnesse When she with Mars was meynt in ioyfulnesse For thy he thrild thee with a leaden dart To loue faire Daphne which the loued lesse Lesse she thee lou'd then was thy iust desart Yet was thy loue her death her death was thy smart So louedst thou the lusty Hyacinct So louedst thou the faire Coronis deare Yet both are of thy haplesse hand extinct Yet both in flowres doe liue and loue thee breare The one a Paunce the other a sweetbeare For griefe whereof ye mote haue liuely seene The God himselfe rending his golden heare And breaking quite his garlond euer greene With other signes of sorrow and impatient teene Both for those two and for his owne deare sonne The sonne of Climene he did repent Who bold to guide the charet of the Sunne Himselfe in thousand peeces fondly rent And all the world with flashing fire brent So like that all the walles did seeme to flame Yet cruell Cupid not herewith content Forst him estsoones to follow other game And loue a Shephards daughter for his dearest Dame He loued Isse for his dearest Dame And for her sake her cattell fedd a while And for her sake a cowheard vile became The seruant of Admetus cowheard vile Whiles that from heauen he suffered exile Long were to tell his other louely fitt Now like a Lyon hunting after spoile Now like a Hag now like a faulcon flit All which in that faire arras was most liuely writ Next vnto him was Neptune pictured In his diuine resemblance wondrous lyke His face was rugged and his hoarie hed Dropped with brackish deaw his threeforkt Pyke He stearnly shooke and there with fierce did stryke The raging billowes that on euery syde They trembling stood and made a long broad dyke That his swift charet might haue passage wyde Which foure great Hippodames did draw in temewise tyde His seahorses did see ne to snort amayne And from their nosethrilles blow the brynie streame That made the sparckling waues to smoke agayne And flame with gold but the white fomy creame Did shine with siluer and shoot forth his beame The God himselfe did pensiue seeme and sad And hong adowne his head as he did dreame For priuy loue his brest empierced had Ne ought but deare Bisaltis ay could make him glad He loued eke Iphimedia deare And Aeolus faire daughter Arne hight For whom he turnd him selfe into a Steare And fedd on fodder to beguile her sight Also to win Deucalions daughter bright He turnd him selfe into a Dolphin fayre And like a winged horse he tooke his flight To snaky-locke Medusa to repayre On whom he got faire Pegasus that flitteth in the ayre Next Saturne was but who would euer weene That sullein Saturne euer weend to loue Yet loue is sullein and Saturnlike seene As he did for Erigone it proue That to a Centaure did him selfe transmoue So proou'd it eke that gratious God of wine When for to compasse Philliras hard loue He turnd
in homely bowers So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes delight the daintie eares of higher powers And so mought they in their deepe skanning skill Alow and grace our Collyns flowing quyll And fare befall that Faery Queene of thine in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sittes Enfusing by those bewties fyers deuyne such high conceites into thy humble wittes As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede From rustick tunes to chaunt heroique deedes So mought thy Redcrosse knight with happy hand victorious be in that faire Ilands right Which thou dost vayle in Type of Faery land Elyzas blessed field that Albion hight That shieldes her friendes and warres her mightie foes Yet still with people peace and plentie flowes But iolly shepeheard though with pleasing style thou feast the humour of the Courtly trayne Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright From whence thy Muse and all the world takes light Hobynoll FAyre Thamis streame that from Ludds stately towne Runst paying tribute to the Ocean seas Let all thy Nymphes and Syrens of renowne Besilent whyle this Bryttane Orpheus playes Nere thy sweet bankes there liues that sacred crowne Whose hand strowes Palme and neuer-dying bayes Let all at once with thy soft murmuring sowne Present her with this worthy Poets prayes For he hath taught hye drifts in shepeherdes weedes And deepe conceites now singes in Faeries deedes R. S. GRaue Muses march in triumph and with prayses Our Goddesse here hath giuen you leaue to land And biddes this rare dispensor of your graces Bow downe his brow vnto her sacred hand Desertes findes dew in that most princely doome In whose sweete brest are all the Muses bredde So did that great Augustus erst in Roome With leaues of fame adorne his Poets hedde Faire be the guerdon of your Faery Queene Euen of the fairest that the world hath seene H. B. VVHen stout Achilles heard of Helens rape And what reuenge the States of Greece deuisd Thinking by sleight the fatall warres to scape In womans weedes him selfe he then disguisde But this deuise Vlysses soone did spy And brought him forth the chaunce of warre to try When Spencer saw the fame was spredd so large Through Faery land of their renowned Queene Loth that his Muse should take so great a charge As in such haughty matter to be seene To seeme a shepeheard then he made his choice But Sydney heard him sing and knew his voice And as Vlysses brought faire Thetis sonne From his retyred life to menage armes So Spencer was by Sidneys speaches wonne To blaze her fame not fearing future harmes For well he knew his Muse would soone be tyred In her high praise that all the world admired Yet as Achilles in those warlike srayes Did win the palme from all the Grecian Peeres So Spencer now to his immortall prayse Hath wonne the Laurell quite from all his seres What though his taske exceed a humaine witt He is excus'd sith Sidney thought it fitt W. L. To looke vpon a worke of rare deuise The which a workman setteth out to view And not to yield it the deserued prise That vnto such a workmanship is dew Doth either proue the iudgement to be naught Or els doth shew amind with enuy fraught To labour to commend a peece of worke Which no man goes about to discommend Would raise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there did 〈◊〉 Some secret doubt whereto the prayse did tend For when men know the goodnes of the wyne T' is needlesse for the hoast to haue a sygne Thus then to shew my iudgement to be such As can discerne of colours 〈◊〉 and white As all 's to free my minde from 〈◊〉 tuch That neuer giues to any man his right I here 〈◊〉 this workmanship is such As that no pen can set it forth too much And thus I hang a garland at the dore Not for to shew the goodnes of the ware But such hath beene the 〈◊〉 hereto fore And customes very hardly broken are And when your tast shall tell you this is trew Then looke you giue your hoast his vtmost dew Ignoto To the right honourable Sir Christopher Hatton Lord high Chauncelor of England c. THose prudent heads that with theire counsels wise Whylom the Pillours of th' earth did sustaine And taught ambitious Rome to 〈◊〉 And in the neck of all the world to rayne Oft from those graue affaires were wont abstaine With the sweet Lady Muses for to play So Ennius the elder Africane So Maro oft did Caesars cares allay So you great Lord that with your counsell sway The burdeine of this kingdom mightily With like delightes sometimes may eke delay The rugged brow of carefull Policy And to these ydle rymes lend litle space Which for their titles sake may find more grace To the most honourable and excellent Lo. the Earle of Essex Great Maister of the Horse to her Highnesse and knight of the Noble order of the Garter c. MAgnificke Lord whose vertues exellent Doe merit a most famous Poets witt To be thy liuing praises instrument Yet doe not sdeigne to let thy name be writt In this base Poeme for thee far vnfitt Nought is thy worth disparaged thereby But when my Muse whose fethers nothing 〈◊〉 Doe yet but flagg and lowly learne to fly With bolder wing shall dare alofte to 〈◊〉 To the last praises of this Faery Queene Then shall it make more famous memory Of thine Heroicke parts such as they beene Till then vouch safe thy noble countenaunce To these first labours needed furtheraunce To the right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford Lord high Chamberlayne of England c. REceiue most Noble Lord in gentle gree The vnripe fruit of an vnready wit Which by thy countenaunce doth craue to bee Defended from foule Enuies poisnous bit Which so to doe may thee right well besit Sith th'antique glory of thine auncestry Vnder a shady vele is therein writ And eke thine owne long liuing memory Succeeding them in true nobility And also for the loue which thou doest beare To th' Heliconian ymps and they to thee They vnto thee and thou to them most deare Deare as thou art vnto thy selfe so loue That loues honours thee as doth behoue To the right honourable the Earle of Northumberland THe sacred Muses haue made alwaies clame To be the Nourses of nobility And Registres of euerlasting fame To all that armes professe and cheualry Then by like right the noble Progeny Which them succeed in fame and worth are tyde T' embrace the seruice of sweete Poetry By whose endeuours they are glorifide And eke from all of whom it is enuide To patronize the authour of their praise Which giues them life that els would soone haue dide And crownes their ashes with immortall baies To thee therefore right noble Lord I send This present of my paines it to defend To the right Honourable the Earle of Ormond and Ossory REceiue most
noble Lord a simple taste Of the wilde fruit which saluage soyl hath bred Which being through long wars left almost waste With brutish barbarisme is ouerspredd And in so faire a land as may be redd Not one Parnassus nor one Helicone Left for sweete Muses to be harboured But where thy selfe hast thy braue mansione There in deede dwel faire Graces many one And gentle Nymphes delights of learned wits And in thy person without Paragone All goodly bountie and true honour sits Such therefore as that wasted soyl doth yield Receiue dear Lord in worth the fruit of barren field To the right honourable the Lo. Ch. Howard Lo. high Admiral of England knight of the noble order of the Garter and one of her Maiesties priuie Counsel c. ANdye braue Lord whose goodly personage And noble deeds each other garnishing Make you ensample to the present age Of th' old Heroes whose famous ofspring The antique Poets wont so much to sing In this same Pageaunt haue a worthy place Sith those huge castles of Castilian king That vainly threatned kingdomes to displace Like flying doues ye did before you chace And that proud people woxen insolent Through many victories didst first deface Thy praises euer lasting monument Is in this verse engrauen semblably That it may liue to all posterity To the most renowmed and valiant Lord the Lord Grey of Wilton knight of the Noble order of the Garter c. MOst Noble Lord the pillor of my life And Patrone of my Muses pupillage Through whose large bountie poured on me rife In the first season of my feeble age I now doe liue bound yours by vassalage Sith nothing euer may redeeme nor reaue Out of your endlesse debt so sure a gage Vouchsafe in worth this small guift to receaue Which in your noble hands for pledge I leaue Of all the rest that I am tyde t' account Rude rymes the which a rustick Muse did weaue In sauadge soyle far from Parnasso mount And roughly wrought in an vnlearned Loome The which vouchsafe dear Lord your fauorable doome To the right noble and valorous knight Sir Walter Raleigh Lo. Wardein of the Stanneryes and liefenaunt of Cornewaile TO thee that art the sommers Nightingale Thy soueraine Goddesses most deare delight Why doe I send this rusticke Madrigale That may thy tunefull eare vnseason quite Thou onely fit this Argument to write In whose high thoughts Pleasure hath built her bowre And dainty loue learned sweetly to endite My rimes I know vnsauory and sowre To tast the streames that like a golden showre Flow from thy fruitfull head of thy loues praise Fitter perhaps to thonder Martiall stowre When so thee list thy lofty Muse to raise Yet till that thou thy Poeme wilt make knowne Let thy faire Cinthias praises bee thus rudely showne To the most vertuous and beautifull Lady the Lady Carew NE may I without blot of endlesse blame You fairest Lady leaue out of this place But with remembraunce of your gracious name Where with that courtly garlond most ye grace And deck the world adorne these verses base Not that these few lines can in them comprise Those glorious ornaments of heuenly grace Wherewith ye triumph ouer feeble eyes And in subdued harts do tyranyse For thereunto doth need a golden quill And siluer leaues them rightly to deuise But to make humble present of good will Which whenas timely meanes it purchase may In ampler wise it selfe will forth display E. S. To all the gratious and beautifull Ladies in the Court. THe Chian Peincter when he was requirde To pourtraict Venus in her perfect hew To make his worke more absolute desird Of all the fairest Maides to haue the vew Much more me needs to draw the semblant trew Of beauties Queene the worlds sole wonderment To sharpe my sence with sundry beauties vew And steale from each some part of ornament If all the world to seeke I ouerwent A fairer crew yet no where could I see Then that braue court doth to mine eie present That the worlds pride seemes gathered there to bee Of each a part I stole by cunning thefte Forgiue it me faire Dames sith lesse ye haue not lefie FINIS E. S. Faults escaped in the Print Glorius glorîous Page 3. Hardy dele Page 6. ebbe t'auale spring to auale 9. euery euer 14 sighes sights 15 steps stead 19. stands fencelesse stand sencelesse 23. cruelties cruell spies 24. that mounted y mounted 27. tuefull ruefull 28. Then thens 30. Then Thens 30. brighten brightnes 32. The that 43. care case 46. course corse 51. pelpe pelf 52. first fifte 54. of new of my new 50. hurls hurld 60. let leke 70. cliffts cliffs 71. sire fire ibid. renowned renowmed 72. the that 74. it in 75. swifte and cruell fiers and fell 85. steeld steele 98. seene seeme 99. chanst chauft 100. comeronne 101. hand hands 102. that the 104. wist wise 106. murmuring murmur ring 107. sie fye 116. hands bands 119. that the 121. Cleons Timons ibid. at on 122. this his 124. clifts cliffs 129. life imited life is limited 130. be her 139. 〈◊〉 pretious 150. fame frame 151. it at 155. this his 156. feared scared ib. all as 158. it one 163. talents talants 170. vntayne contayne 175. stayd strayd 180. to t'ibid faine vaine ibid. wo who ibid. Amarons Amazon 186. these thrise 196. place to place 206. make makes 213. First Fast 215. ronght raught 219. vnto greatly 224. did were 226. no not 234. tongue tonge 235. Pyrrhocles Pyrochles 243. embayling emboyling 250. Netmus Nemus 254. man saw man saw 270. Hammon Mammon 280. the that 283. the th' 287. fame his cruell 297. pagons Pagans 299. doubly double 300. empieste empierst 303. Horrow harrow ibid. with bowing bowing 306. incedent indecent 307. crownd crowned 312. lenger a time lenger time 313. Dyapase diapase 313. lastery Castory 318. welis well is 322. whom who 326. and thy great and great ibid. gold old ibid. Seuith Scuith 332. her their ibid. Britom Britayne 356. reuiue suruiue ibid. his this 359. this that 362. did doe 363. weiting wayting 364. Materastaes Malecastaes 391. shard mard 399. Not nor 422. Then Them 424. from th earth from of the earth 438. Shee Hee 440. made VVade 466. shee hee stuned stund 500. were nere ibid. right right hand 502. fuccour succour 588. He shc ibid. him her ibid. To the right 〈◊〉 Sir Christopher Hatton Lord high Chauncelor of England 〈◊〉 THose prudent heads that with theire counsels wise Whylom the Pillours of th' earth did sustaine And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannise And in the neck of all the world to rayne Oft from those graue affaires were wont 〈◊〉 With the sweet Lady Muses for to play So Ennius the elder Africane So Maro oft did Caesars cares allay So you great Lord that with your counsell sway he burdeine of this kingdom mightily With like delightes sometimes may 〈◊〉 delay The rugged brow of carefull Policy And to these ydle rymes lend litle space Which