so ordaine As shee arriued on the roring shore In minde to leape into the mighty maine A little bote lay hoving her before In which there slept a fisher old and pore The whiles his nets were drying on the 〈◊〉 Into the same shee lept and with the ore Did thrust the shallop from the floting strand So safety fownd at sea which she fownd not at land The Monster ready on the pray to sease Was of his forward hope deceiued quight Ne durst assay to wade the 〈◊〉 seas But greedily long gaping at the sight At last in vaine was forst to turne his flight And tell the idle tidings to his Dame Yet to auenge his diuelishe despight He sett vpon her Palfrey 〈◊〉 lame And slew him cruelly 〈◊〉 any reskew came And after hauing him embowelled To fill his hellish gorge it chaunst a knight To passe that way as forth he traueiled Yt was a goodly Swaine and of great might As euer man that bloody field did fight But in vain sheows that wont yong knights bewitch And courtly seruices tooke no delight But rather ioyd to bee then seemen sich For both to be and seeme to him was labor lich It was to weete the good Sir Satyrane That raungd abrode to seeke aduentures wilde As was his wont in forest and in plaine He was all armd in rugged steele vnfilde As in the smoky forge it was compilde And in his 〈◊〉 bore a Satyres hedd He comming present where the Monster vilde Vpon that milke-white 〈◊〉 carcas fedd Vnto his reskew ran and greedily him spedd There well perceiud he that it was the horse Whereon faire Florimell was wont to ride That of that feend was rent without remorse Much feared he least ought did ill betide To that faire Maide the flowre of 〈◊〉 pride For her he dearely loued and in all His famous 〈◊〉 highly magnifide Besides her golden girdle which did fall From her in flight he fownd that did him sore apall Full of sad feare and doubtfull agony Fiercely he flew vpon that wicked feend And with huge strokes and cruell battery Him forst to leaue his pray for to attend Him selfe from deadly daunger to defend Full many wounds in his corrupted flesh He did engraue and much ell blood did spend Yet might not 〈◊〉 him die but aie more fresh And fierce he still appeard the more he did him thresh He wist not how him to despoile of life Ne how to win the wished victory Sith him he saw still stronger grow through strife And him selfe weaker through infirmity Greatly he grew enrag'd and furiously Hurling his sword away he lightly lept Vpon the beast that with great cruelty Rored and raged to be vnderkept Yet he perforce him held and strokes vpon him hept As he that striues to stop a suddein flood And in strong bancks his violence enclose Forceth it swell aboue his wonted mood And largely ouerflow the fruitfull plaine That all the countrey seemes to be a Maine And the rich furrowes flote all quite fordonne The wofull husbandman doth lowd complaine To see his whole yeares labor lost so soone For which to God he made so many an idle boone So him he held and did through might amate So long he held him and him bett so long That at the last his 〈◊〉 gan 〈◊〉 And meekely stoup vnto the victor strong Who to auenge the implacable wrong Which he supposed donne to Florimell Sought by all meanes his dolor to prolong Sith dint of steele his carcas could not quell His maker with her charmes had framed him so well The golden ribband which that virgin wore About her sclender waste he tooke in hand And with it bownd the beast that lowd did rore For great despight of that vnwonted band Yet dared not his victor to withstand But trembled like a lambe fled from the pray And all the way him followd on the strand As he had long bene learned to obay Yet neuer learned he such seruice till that day Thus as he led the Beast along the way He spide far of a mighty Giauntesse Fast flying on a Courser dapled gray From a bold knight that with great hardinesse Her hard pursewd and sought for to suppresse She bore before her lap a dolefull Squire Lying athwart her horse in great distresse Fast bounden hand and foote with cords of wire Whom she did meane to make the thrall of her desire Which whenas Satyrane beheld in haste He lefte his captiue Beast at liberty And crost the nearest way by which he cast Her to encounter ere she passed by But she the way shund nathemore for thy But forward gallopt fast which when he spyde His mighty speare he couched warily And at her ran she hauing him descryde Her selfe to fight addrest and threw her lode aside Like as a Goshauke that in foote doth beare A trembling Culuer hauing spide on hight An Eagle that with plumy wings doth sheare The subtile ayre stouping with all his might The quarrey throwes to ground with fell despight And to the batteill doth her selfe prepare So ran the Geauntesse vnto the fight Her fyrie eyes with furious sparkes did stare And with blasphemous bannes high God in peeces tare She caught in hand an huge great yron mace Wherewith she many had of life depriu'd But ere the stroke could seize his aymed place His speare amids her sun-brode shield arriu'd Yet nathemore the steele a sonder riu'd All were the beame in bignes like a mast Ne her out of the stedfast sadle driu'd But glauncing on the tempred metall brast In thousand shiuers and so forth beside her past Her Steed did stagger with that puissaunt strooke But she no more was moued with that might Then it had lighted on an aged Oke Or on the marble Pillour that is pight Vpon the top of Mount Olympus hight For the braue youthly Champions to assay With burning charet wheeles it night to smite But who that smites it mars his ioyous play And is the spectacle of ruinous decay Yet there with sore enrag'd with sterne regard Her dreadfull weapon she to him addrest Which on his helmet martelled so hard That made him low incline his lofty crest And bowd his battred visour to his brest Wherewith she was so stuned that he n'ote ryde But reeled to and fro from east to west Which when his cruell enimy espyde She lightly vnto him adioyned syde to syde And on his collar laying puissaunt hand Out of his wauering seat him pluckt perforse Perforse him pluckt vnable to withstand Or helpe himselfe and laying thwart her horse In loathly wise like to a carrion corse She bore him fast away Which when the knight That her pursewed saw with great remorse He were was touched in his noble spright And gan encrease his speed as she encreast her flight Whom when as nigh approching she espyde She threw away her burden angrily For she list not the batteill to abide But made her selfe more light away to fly Yet her the hardy knight pursewd
cups his mates him pledg around Such ioy made Vna when her knight she found And eke th' enchaunter ioyous seemde no lesse Then the glad marchant that does vew from ground His ship far come from watrie wildernesse He hurles out vowes and Neptune oft doth blesse So forth they past and all the way they spent Discoursing of her dreadful late distresse In which he askt her what the Lyon ment Who told her all that fell in iourney as she went They had not ridden far when they might see One pricking towards them with hastie heat Full strongly armd and on a courser free That through his fiersnesse fomed all with sweat And the sharpe yron did for anger eat When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side His looke was sterne and seemed still to threat Cruell reuenge which he in hart did hyde And on his shield Sans loy in bloody lines was dyde When nigh he drew vnto this gentle payre And saw the Red-crosse which the knight did beare He burnt in fire and gan eftsoones prepare Himselfe to batteill with his couched speare Loth was that other and did faint through feare To taste th'vntryed dint of deadly steele But yet his Lady did so well him cheare That hope of new good hap he gan to feele So bent his speare and spurd his horse with yron heele But that proud Paynim forward came so ferce And full of wrath that with his sharphead speare Through vainly 〈◊〉 shield he quite did perce And had his staggering steed not shronke for feare Through shield and body eke he should him beare Yet so great was the puissance of his push That from his sadle quite he did him beare He tombling rudely downe to ground did rush And from his gored wound a well of bloud did gush Dismounting lightly from his loftie steed He to him lept in minde to reaue his life And proudly said 〈◊〉 there the worthie meed Of him that slew Sansfoy with bloody knife Henceforth his ghost freed from repining strife In peace may passen ouer Let he lake When mourning altars purgd with enimies life The black infernall Furies doen aslake Life from 〈◊〉 thou tookst Sansloy shall frō thee take Therewith in haste his helmet gan vnlace Till Vna cride O hold that heauie hand Deare Sir what euer that thou be in place Enough is that thy foe doth vanquisht stand Now at thy mercy Mercy not withstand For he is one the truest knight aliue Though conquered now he lye on lowly land And whilest him 〈◊〉 fauourd fayre did thriue In bloudy field therefore of life him not 〈◊〉 epriue Her piteous wordes might not abate his rage But rudely rending vp his helmet would Haue slayne him streight but when he sees his age And hoarie head of Archimago old His hasty hand he doth amased hold And halfe ashamed wondred at the sight For the old man well knew he though vntold In charmes and magick to haue wondrous might Ne euer wont in field ne in round lists to fight And said Why Archimago lucklesse syre What doe I see what hard mishap is this That hath thee hether brought to taste mine yre Or thine the fault or mine the error is Instead of foe to wound my friend amis He answered nought but in a traunce still lay And on those guile full 〈◊〉 eyes of his The cloude of death did sit Which doen away He left him lying so ne would no lenger stay But to the virgin comes who all this while Amased stands her selfe so mockt to see By him who has the guerdon of his guile For so misfeigning her true knight to bee Yet is she now in more perplexitie Left in the hand of that same Paynim bold From whom her booteth not at all to flie Who by her cleanly garment catching hold Her from her Palfrey pluckt her visage to behold But her fiers seruant full of kingly aw And high disdaine whenas his soueraine Dame So rudely handled by her foe he saw With gaping iawesfull greedy at him came And ramping on his shield did weene the same Haue reft away with his sharprending clawes But he was stout and lust did now inflame His corage more that frō his griping pawes He hath his shield redeemd and forth his swerd he drawes O then too weake and feeble was the forse Of saluage beast his puissance to withstand For he was strong and of so mightie corse As euer wielded speare in warlike hand And feates of armes did wisely vnderstand Est soones he perced through his chaufed chest With thrilling point of deadly yron brand And launcht his Lordly hart with death opprest He ror'd aloud whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest Who now is left to keepe the forlorne maid From raging spoile of law lesse victors will Her faithfull gard remou'd her hope dismaid Her selfe a yielded pray to saue or spill He now Lord of the field his pride to fill With foule reproches and disdaineful spight Her vildly entertaines and will or nill Beares her away vpon his courser light Her prayers nought preuaile his rage is more of might And all the way with great lamenting paine And piteous plaintes she filleth his dull eares That stony hart could riuen haue in twaine And all the way she wetts with flowing teares But he enrag'd with rancor nothing heares Her seruile beast yet would not leaue her so But followes her far of ne ought he feares To be partaker of her wandring woe More mild in beastly kind then that her beastly foe Can. IIII. To sinfull hous of Pryde Duessa guydes the faithfull knight Where brothers death to wreak Sansioy doth chaleng him to fight YOung knight what euer that dost armes professe And through long labours huntest after fame Beware of fraud beware of ficklenesse In choice and chaunge of thy deare loued Dame Least thou of her belieue too lightly blame And rash misweening doe thy hart remoue For vnto knight there is no greater shame Then lightnesse and inconstancie in loue That doth this Redcrosse knights ensample plainly proue Who after that he had faire Vna lorne Through light misdeeming of her loialtie And fale Duessa in her sted had borne Called Fidess and so supposd to be Long with her traueild till at last they see A goodly building brauely garnished The house of mightie Prince it seemd to be And towards it a broad high way that led All bare through peoples feet which thether traueiled Great troupes of people traueild thetherward Both day and night of each degree and place But few returned hauing scaped hard With balefull beggery or soule disgrace Which euer after in most wretched care Like loathsome lazars by the hedges lay Thether Duessa badd him bend his pace For she is wearie of the toilsom way And also nigh consumed is the lingring day A stately Pallace built of squared bricke Which cunningly was without morter laid Whose wals were high but nothing strong nor thick And golden foile all ouer them displaid That purest skye with
beast with busie payne Then serue his Ladies loue waste in pleasures vayne The forlorne mayd did with 〈◊〉 longing burne And could not lacke her louers company But to the wood shè goes to serue her turne And seeke her spouse that from her still does fly And followes other game and venery A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to finde And kindling coles of lust in brutish eye The loyall linkes of wedlocke did vnbinde And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind So long in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be held Her 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 desyre Till that with timely 〈◊〉 her belly sweld And bore a boy vnto that saluage syre Then home he 〈◊〉 her for to retyre For ransome leauing him the late-borne childe Whom till to 〈◊〉 yeares he 〈◊〉 aspyre He nousled vp in life and manners wilde Emongst wild beastes and woods from lawes of men exilde For all he taught the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 cowardize and bastard feare His trembling hand he would him force to put Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make To tame and 〈◊〉 their backes not made to beare And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake That euerie beast for feare of him did fly and quake Thereby so fearelesse and so fell he grew That his owne 〈◊〉 and maister of his guise Did often tremble at his horrid vew And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise The angry beastes not rashly to despise Nor too much to prouoke for he would learne The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wife A lesson hard and make the 〈◊〉 sterne Leaue roaring when in rage he for reuenge did earne And for to make his powre approued more Wyld beastes in yron yokes he would compell The spotted Panther and the 〈◊〉 Bore The Pardale swift and the Tigre cruell The Antelope and Wolfe both swift and cruell And them constraine in equall teme to draw Such ioy he had their stubborne harts to quell And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw That his beheast they feared as a tyrans law His louing mother came vpon a day Vnto the woodes to see her little sonne And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way After his sportes and cruell pastime donne When after him a Lyonesse did runne That roaring all with rage did lowd requere Her children deare whom he away had wonne The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare And lull in rugged armes withouten childish feare The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight And turning backe gan fast to fly away Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright She hardly yet perswaded was to stay And then to him these womanish words gan say Ah Satyrane my dearling and my ioy For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play To dally thus with death is no fit toy Go find some other play-fellowes mine own sweet boy In these and like delightes of bloody game He trayned was till ryper yeares he raught And there abode whylst any beast of name Walkt in that forrest whom he had not taught To feare his force and then his courage haught Desyrd of forreine foemen to be knowne And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne But through al Faery lond his famous worth was blown Yet euermore it was his maner faire After long labours and aduentures spent Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire To see his syre and ofspring auncient And now he thether came for like intent Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found Sraunge Lady in so straunge habiliment Teaching the Satyres which her sat around Trew sacred lore which frō her sweet lips did redound He wondred at her wisedome heuenly rare Whose like in womens witt he neuer knew And when her cutteous deeds he did compare Gan her admire and her sad sorrowes rew Blaming of Fortune which such troubles threw And ioyd to make proofe of her cruelty On gentle Dame so hurtlesse and so trew Thenceforth he kept her goodly company And learnd her discipline of faith and verity But she all vowd vnto the Redcrosse knight His wandring perill closely did lament Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight But her deare heart with anguish did torment And all her witt in secret counsels spent How to escape At last in priuy wise To Satyrane she shewed her intent Who glad to gain such fauour gan deuise How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise So on a day when Satyres all were gone To doe their seruice to Syluanus old The gentle virgin left behinde alone He led away with corage stout and bold Too late it was to Satyres to be told Or euer hope recouer her againe In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold So fast he carried her with carefull paine That they the wods are past come now to the plaine The better part now of the lingring day They traueild had whenas they far espide A weary wight for wandring by the way And towards him they gan in hast to ride To weete of newes that did abroad betide Or tidings of her knight of the Redcrosse But he them spying gan to turne aside For feare as seemd or for some feigned losse More greedy they of newes fast towards him do crosse A silly man in simple weeds forworne And soild with dust of the long dried way His sandales were with to ilsome trauell torne And face all tand with scorching sunny ray As he had traueild many a sommers day Through boyling sands of Arabie and Ynde And in his hand a Iacobs staffe to stay His weary limbs vpon and eke behind His scrip did hang in which his needments he did bind The knight approching nigh of him inquerd Tidings of warre and of aduentures new But warres nor new aduentures none he herd Then Vna gan to aske if ought he knew Or heard abroad of that her champion trew That in his armour bare a croslet red Ay me Deare dame qd he well may I rew To tell the sad sight which mine eies haue red These eies did see that knight both liuing and eke ded That cruell word her tender hart so thrild That suddein cold did ronne through euery vaine And stony horrour all her sences fild With dying fitt that downe she fell for paine The knight her lightly reared vp againe And comforted with curteous kind reliefe Then wonne from death she bad him tellen plaine The further processe of her hidden griefe The lesser pangs can beare who hath endur'd the chief Then gan the Pilgrim thus I chaunst this day This fatall day that shall I euer rew To see two knights in trauell on my way A sory sight arraung'd in batteill new Both breathing vengeaunce both of wrathfull hew My feareful flesh did tremble at their strife To see their blades so greedily imbrew That dronke with blood yet thristed after life What more the Redcrosse knight was slain with Paynim
thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost dart Thy sad tong cannot tell more heauy plight Then that I seele and harbour in mine hart Who hath endur'd the whole can beare ech part If death it be it is not the first wound That launched hath my brest with bleeding smart Begin and end the bitter balefull stound Iflesse then that I feare more fauour I haue found Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare The subtile traines of Archimago old The wanton loues of false Fidessa fayre Bought with the blood of vanquisht Paynim bold The wretched payre transformd to 〈◊〉 mould The house of Pryde and 〈◊〉 round about The combat which he with Sansioy did hould The lucklesse conflict with the Gyaunt 〈◊〉 Wherein captiu'd of life or 〈◊〉 he stood in doubt She heard with patience all vnto the end And stroue to maister sorrowfull assay Which greater grew the more she did contend And almost rent her tender hart in tway And loue fresh coles vnto her fire did Iay For greater loue the greater is the losse Was neuer Lady loued dearer day Then she did loue the knight of the Redorosse For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse At last when feruent sorrow 〈◊〉 was She vp arose resoluing him to find Aliue or dead and forward forth 〈◊〉 pas All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd And euer more in constant carefull mind She fedd her wound with fresh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Long tost with stormes and bet with 〈◊〉 wind High ouer hills and lowe adowne the dale She wandred many a wood and measurd many a vale At last she 〈◊〉 by good 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 A goodly knight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the way Together with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His glitterand armour shined far away Like glauncing light of 〈◊〉 brightest 〈◊〉 From top to toe no place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That deadly 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athwart his brest a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That shind like twinkling stars with stones most pretious And in the midst thereof one pretious stone Of wondrous worth and 〈◊〉 of wondrous mights Shapt like a Ladies head exceeding shone Like Hesperus 〈◊〉 the lesser lights And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong In yuory sheath 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 slights Whose hilts were burnisht gold and handle strong Of mother perle and buckled with a golden tong His haughtie Helmet horrid all with gold Both glorious 〈◊〉 and great terrour bredd For all the crest a Dragon did enfold With greedie pawes and ouer all did spredd His golden winges his dreadfull hideous hedd Close couched on the beuer seemd to throw From flaming mouth bright sparckles fiery redd That suddeine 〈◊〉 to faint hartes did show And scaly 〈◊〉 was stretcht adowne his back full low Vpon the top of all his loftie crest A 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuersly With 〈◊〉 pearle and gold full richly drest Did shake and seemd to daunce for iollity Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene Selinis all alone With blossoms braue bedecked 〈◊〉 Her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do 〈◊〉 euery one At euerie little breath that vnder heauen is blowne His warlike shield all closely couer'd was Ne might of 〈◊〉 all eye be euer seene Not made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of enduring bras Such earth 〈◊〉 soone consumed beene But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was one massy entire mould Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene That point of speare it neuer percen could Ne dint of direfull sword diuide the substance would The same to wight he neuer wont disclose But when as monsters huge he would dismay Or daunt vnequall armies of his foes Or when the flying heauens he would affray For so exceeding shone his glistring ray That Phoebus golden face it did attaint As when a cloud his beames doth ouer-lay And siluer Cynthia wexed pale and faynt As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint No magicke arts hereof had any might Nor bloody wordes of bold Enchaunters call But all that was not such as seemd in sight Before that shield did fade and suddeine fall And when him list the raskall routes appall Men into stones therewith he could transmew And stones to dust and dust to nought at all And when him list the prouder lookes subdew He would them gazing blind or turne to other hew Ne let it seene that credence this exceedes For he that made the same was knowne right well To haue done much more admirable deedes It Merlin was which whylome did excell All liuing wightes in might of magicke spell Both shield and sword and armour all he wrought For this young Prince when first to armes he fell But when he dyde the Faery Queene it brought To Faerie lond where yet it may be seene if sought A gentle youth his dearely loued Squire His speare of heben wood behind him bare Whose harmeful head thrise heated in the fire Had riuen many a brest with pikehead square A goodly person and could menage faire His stubborne steed with curbed canon bitt Who vnder him did amble as the aire And chaust that any on his backe should sitt The yron rowels into frothy fome he bi tt When as this knight nigh to the Lady drew With louely court he gan her entertaine But when he heard her aunswers loth he knew Some secret sorrow did her heart distraine Which to allay and calme her storming paine Faire feeling words he wisely gan display And for her humor fitting purpose faine To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray Wherewith enmoud these bleeding words she gan to say What worlds delight or ioy of liuing speach Can hart so plungd in sea of sorrowes deep And heaped with so huge misfortunes reach The carefull cold beginneth for to creep And in my heart his yron arrow steep Soone as I thinke vpon my bitter bale Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keep Then rip vp griefe where it may not auaile My last left comfort is my woes to weepe and waile Ah Lady deare qd then the gentle knight Well may I ween your grief is wondrous great For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat But woefull Lady let me you intrete For to vnfold the anguish of your hart Mishaps are maistred by aduice discrete And counsell mitigates the greatest smart Found neuer help who neuer would his hurts impart O but qd she great griefe will not be tould And can more easily be thought then said Right so qd he but he that neuer would Could neuer will to might giues greatest aid But griefe qd she does greater grow displaid If then it find not helpe and breeds despaire Despaire breeds not qd he where faith is 〈◊〉 No faith so fast qd she but flesh does paire Flesh may empaire qd he but reason can repaire His goodly reason and well guided speach So deepe did settle in her gracious thought That her perswaded to disclose the breach Which loue and fortune in
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
feare She there attached far from all succoure The one she 〈◊〉 vpon the present floure But the sad virgin innocent of all Adowne the rolling riuer she did poure Which of her name now Seuerne men do call Such was the end that to disloyall loue did fall Then for her sonne which she to Locrin bore Madan was young vnmeet the rule to sway In her owne hand the crowne she kept in store Till ryper yeares he raught and stronger stay During which time her powre she did display Through all this realme the glory of her sex And first taught men a woman to obay But when her sonne to mans estate did wex She it surrendred ne her selfe would lenger vex Tho Madan raignd vnworthie of his race For with all shame that sacred throne he fild Next Memprise as vnworthy of that place In which being consorted with Manild For thirst of single kingdom him he kild But Ebranck salued both their infamies With noble deedes and warreyd on Brunchild In 〈◊〉 where yet of his victories Braue moniments remaine which yet that land enuies An happy man in his first dayes he was And happy father of faire progeny For all so many weekes as the yeare has So many children he did multiply Of which were twentie sonnes which did apply Their mindes to prayse and cheualrous desyre Those germans did subdew all Germany Of whom it hight but in the end their Syre With foule repulse from Fraunce was forced to retyre Which blott his sonne succeeding in his seat The second Brute the second both in name And eke in semblaunce of his puissaunce great Right well recur'd and did away that blame With recompence of euerlasting fame He with his victour sword first opened The bowels of wide Fraunce a forlorne Dame And taught her first how to be conquered Since which with sondrie spoiles she hath bene ransacked Let Scaldis tell and let tell Hania And let the marsh of Estham bruges tell What colour were their waters that same day And all the moore twixt Eluersham and Dell With blood of Henalois which therein fell How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell That not Seuith guiridh he mote seeme to bee But rather y Seuith gogh signe of sad crueltee His sonne king Leill by fathers labour long Enioyd an heritage of lasting peace And built Cairleill and built Cairleon strong Next Huddibras his realme did not encrease But taught the land from wearie wars to cease Whose footsteps Bladud following in artes Exceld at Athens all the learned preace From whēce he brought them to these saluage parts And with sweet science mollifide their stubborne harts Ensample of his wondrous faculty Behold the boyling Bathes at Cairbadon Which seeth with secret fire eternally And in their entrailles full of quick Brimston Nourish the flames which they are warmd vpon That to her people wealth they forth do well And health to euery forreyne nation Yet he at last contending to excell The reach of men through flight into fond mischieffell Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raynd But had no issue male him to succeed But three faire daughters which were well vptraind In all that seemed fitt for kingly seed Mongst whom his realme he equally decreed To haue diuided Tho when feeble age Nigh to his vtmost date he saw proceed He cald his daughters and with speeches sage 〈◊〉 which of them most did loue her parentage The eldest Gonorill gan to protest That she much more then her owne life him lou'd And Regan greater loue to him profest Then all the world when euer it were proou'd But Cordeill said she lou'd him as behoou'd Whose simple answere wanting colours fayre To paint it forth him to displeasaunce moou'd That in his crown he counted her no hayre But twixt the other twain his kingdom whole did shayre So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scottes And thother to the king of Cambria And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lottes But without dowre the wise Cordelia Was sent to Aggannip of Celtica Their aged Syre thus eased of his crowne A priuate life ledd in Albania With Gonorill long had in great renowne That nought him grieu'd to beene from rule deposed downe But true it is that when the oyle is spent The light goes out and weeke is throwne away So when he had resignd his regiment His daughter gan despise his drouping day And wearie wax of his continuall stay Tho to his daughter Regan he repayrd Who him at first well vsed euery way But when of his departure she despayrd Her bountie she abated and his cheare empayrd The wretched man gan then auise to late That loue is not where most it is profest Too truely tryde in his extremest state At last resolu'd likewise to proue the 〈◊〉 He to Cordelia him selfe addrest Who with entyre affection him receau'd As for her Syre and king her seemed best And after all au army strong she leau'd To war on those which him had of his realme bereau'd So to his crowne she him restord againe In which he dyde made ripe for death by eld And after wild it should to her remaine Who peaceably the same long time did weld And all mens harts in dew obedience held Till that her sisters children woxen strong Through proud ambition against her rebeld And ouercommen kept in prison long Till weary of that wretched life her selfe she hong Then gan the bloody brethren both to raine But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuy His brother Morgan prickt with proud disdaine To haue a pere in part of souerainty And kindling coles of cruell enmity Raisd warre and him in batteill ouerthrew Whence as he to those woody hilles did fly Which hight of him Glamorgan there him slew Then did he raigne alone when he none equall knew His sonne Riuall ' his dead rowme did supply In whose sad time blood did from heauen rayne Next great Gurgustus then faire Coecily In constant peace their kingdomes did contayne After whom Lago and Kinmarke did rayne And Gorbogud till far in yeares he grew Then his Ambitious sonnes vnto them twayne Arraught the rule and from their father drew Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw But O the greedy thirst of royall crowne That knowes no kinred nor regardes no right Stird Porrex vp to put his brother downe Who vnto him assembling forreigne might Made warre on him and fell him selfe in fight Whose death t' auenge his mother 〈◊〉 Most mercilesse of women Wyden hight Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse Here ended Brutus sacred progeny Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne With high renowme and great felicity The noble braunch from th'antique stocke was torne Through discord and the roiall throne forlorne Thenceforth this Realme was into factions rent Whilest each of Brutus boasted to be borne That in the end was left no moniment Of Brutus nor
of Britons glorie auncient Then vp arose a man of matchlesse might And wondrous wit to menage high affayres Who stird with pitty of the stressed plight Of this sad realme cut into sondry shayres By such as claymd thēselues Brutes rightfull hayres Gathered the Princes of the people loose To taken counsell of their common cares Who with his wisedom won him streight did choose Their king and swore him fealty to win or loose Then made he head against his enimies And Ymner slew of Logris miscreate Then Ruddoc and proud Stater both allyes This of Albany newly nominate And that of Cambry king confirmed late He ouerthrew through his owne valiaunce Whose countries he redus'd to quiet state And shortly brought to ciuile gouernaunce Now one which earst were many made through variaunce Then made he sacred lawes which some men say Were vnto him reueald in vision By which he freed the Traueilers high way The Churches part and Ploughmans portion Restraining stealth and strong extortion The gratious Numa of great Britany For till his dayes the chiefe dominion By strength was wielded without pollicy Therefore he first wore crowne of gold for dignity Donwallo dyde for what may liue for ay And left two sonnes of pearelesse prowesse both That sacked Rome too dearely did assay The recompence of their periured oth And ransackt Greece wel tryde whē they were wroth Besides subiected France and Germany Which yet their praises speake all be they 〈◊〉 And inly tremble at the memory Of Brennus and Belinus kinges of Britany Next them did Gurgiunt great Belinus sonne In rule succeede and eke in fathers praise He Easterland subdewd and Denmarke wonne And of them both did 〈◊〉 and tribute raise The which was dew in his dead fathers daies He also gaue to fugitiues of Spayne Whom he at sea found wandring from their waies A seate in Ireland safely to remayne Which they should hold of him as subiect to Britayne After him raigned Guitheline his hayre The iustest man and trewest in his daies Who had to wife Dame Mertia the fayre A woman worthy of immortall praise Which for this Realme found many goodly layes And wholesome Statutes to her husband brought Her many deemd to haue beene of the Fayes As was Aegerie that Numa tought Those yet of her be Mertiā lawes both nam'd thought Her sonne Sifillus after her did rayne And then Kimarus and then Danius Next whom Morindus did the crowne sustayne Who had he not with wrath outrageous And cruell rancour dim'd his valorous And mightie deedes should matched haue the best As well in that same field victorious Against the forreine Morands he exprest Yet liues his memorie though carcas sleepe in rest Fiue sonnes he 〈◊〉 begotten of one wife All which successiuely by turnes did rayne First Gorboman a man of vertuous life Next Archigald who for his proud disdayne Deposed was from princedome souerayne And pitteous Elidure put in his sted Who shortly it to him restord agayne Till by his death he it recouered But Peridure and Vigent him disthronized In wretched prison long he did remaine Till they outraigned had their vtmost date And then therein reseized was againe And ruled long with honorable state Till he surrendred Realme and life to fate Then all the sonnes of these fiue brethren raynd By dew successe and all their Nephewes late Euen thrise eleuen descents the crowne retaynd Till aged Hely by dew heritage it gaynd He had two sonnes whose eldest called Lud Left of his life most famous memory And endlesse moniments of his great good The ruin'd wals he did reaedifye Of Troynouant gainst force of enimy And built that gate which of his name is hight By which he lyes entombed solemnly He left two sonnes too young to rule aright Androgeus and Tenantius pictures of his might Whilst they were young Cassibalane their Eme Was by the people chosen in their sted Who on him tooke the roiall Diademe And goodly well long time it gouerned Till the prowde Romanes him disquieted And warlike Caesar tempted with the name Of this sweet Island neuer conquered And enuying the Britons blazed fame O hideous hunger of dominion hether came Yet twise they were repulsed backe againe And twise renforst backe to their ships to fly The whiles with blood they all the shore did staine And the gray Ocean into purple dy Ne had they footing found at last perdie Had not Androgeus false to natiue soyle And enuious of Vncles soueraintie Betrayd his countrey vnto forreine spoyle Nought els buttreason from the first this land did foyle So by him Caesar got the victory Through great bloodshed and many a sad assay In which himselfe was charged heauily Of hardy Nennius whom he yet did slay But lost his sword yet to be seene this day Thenceforth this land was tributarie made T'ambitious Rome and did their rule obay Till Arthur all that reckoning defrayd Yet oft the Briton kings against them strongly swayd Next him Tenantius raignd then Kimbeline What time th' eternall Lord in fleshly slime Enwombed was from wretched Adams line To purge away the guilt of sinfull crime O ioyous memorie of happy time That heauenly grace so plenteously displayd O too high ditty for my simple rime Soone after this the Romanes him warrayd For that their tribute he refusd to let be payd Good Claudius that next was Emperour An army brought and with him batteile fought In which the king was by a Treachetour Disguised slaine ere any thereof thought Yet ceased not the bloody fight for ought For Aruirage his brothers place supplyde Both in his armes and crowne and by that draught Did driue the Romanes to the weaker syde That they to peace agreed So all was pacifyde Was neuer king more highly magnifide Nor dredd of Romanes then was Aruirage For which the Emperour to him allide His daughter Genuiss ' in marriage Yet shortly he renounst the vassallage Of Rome againe who hether hastly sent Vespasian that with great spoile and rage Forwasted all till Gen̄uissa gent Persuaded him to ceasse and her lord to relent He dide and him succeeded Marius Who ioyd his dayes in great tranquillity Then Coyll and after him good Lucius That first receiued Christianity The sacred pledge of Christes Euangely Yet true it is that long before that day Hither came Ioseph of Arimathy Who brought with him the holy grayle they say And preacht the truth but since it 〈◊〉 did decay This good king shortly without issew dide Whereof great trouble in the kingdome grew That did herselfe in sondry parts diuide And with her powre her owne selfe ouerthrew Whilest Romanes daily did the weake subdew Which seeing stout Bunduca vp arose And taking armes the Britons to her drew With whom she marched streight against her foes And them vnwares besides the Seuerne did enclose There she with them a cruell batteill tryde Not with so good successe as shee deseru'd By reason that the Captaines on her syde Corrupted by Paulinus from her sweru'd
who was in magick skild He built by art vpon the glassy See A bridge of bras whose sound heuēs thunder seem'd to bee He left three sonnes the which in order raynd And all their Ofspring in their dew descents Euen seuen hundred Princes which maintaynd With mightie deedes their sondry gouernments That were too long their infinite contents Here to record ne much materiall Yet should they be most famous moniments And braue ensample both of martiall And ciuil rule to kinges and states imperiall After all these Elficleos did rayne The wise Elficleos in great Maiestie Who mightily that scepter did sustayne And with rich spoyles and famous victorie Did high aduaunce the crowne of Faery He left two sonnes of which faire Elferon The eldest brother did vntimely dy Whose emptie place the mightie Oberon Doubly supplide in spousall and dominion Great was his power and glorie ouer all Which him before that sacred seate did fill That yet remaines his wide memoriall He dying left the fairest Tanaquill Him to succeede therein by his last will Fairer and nobler liueth none this howre Ne like in grace ne like in learned skill Therefore they Glorian call that glorious flowre Long mayst thou Glorian liue in glory great powre Beguyld thus with delight of nouelties And naturall desire of countryes state So long they redd in those antiquities That how the time was fled they quite forgate Till gentle Alma seeing it so late Perforce their studies broke and them besought To thinke how supper did them long awaite So halfe vnwilling from their bookes them brought And fayrely feasted as so noble knightes she ought Cant XI The enimies of T emperaunce besiege her dwelling place Prince Arthure them repelles and fowle Maleger doth deface WHat warre so cruel or what siege so sore As that which strong affections doe apply Against the forte of reason euermore To bring the sowle into captiuity Their force is fiercer through infirmity Of the fraile flesh relenting to their rage And exercise most bitter tyranny Vpon the partes brought into their bondage No wretchednesse is like to sinfull vellenage But in a body which doth freely yeeld His partes to reasons rule obedient And letteth her that ought the scepter weeld All happy peace and goodly gouernment Is setled there in sure establishment There Alma like a virgin Queene most bright Doth florish in all beautie excellent And to her guestes doth bounteous banket dight Attempred goodly well for health and for delight Early before the Morne with cremosin ray The windowes of bright heauen opened had Through which into the world the dawning day Might looke that maketh euery creature glad Vprose Sir Guyon in bright armour clad And to his purposd iourney him prepar'd With him the Palmer eke in habit sad Him selfe addrest to that aduenture hard So to the riuers syde they both together far'd Where them awaited ready at the ford The Ferriman as Alma had behight With his well rigged bore They goe abord And he eftsoones gan launch his barke forthright Ere long they rowed were quite out of sight And fast the land behynd them fled away But let them pas whiles winde and wether 〈◊〉 Doe serue their turnes here I a while must stay To see a cruell fight doen by the prince this day For all so soone as 〈◊〉 thence was gon Vpon his voyage with his trustie guyde That wicked band of villeins fresh begon That castle to assaile on euery side And lay strong siege about it far and wyde So huge and infinite their numbers were That all the land they vnder them did hyde So fowle and vgly that exceeding feare Their visages imprest when they approched neare Them in twelue troupes their Captein did dispart And round about in fittest steades did place Where each might best offend his proper part And his contrary obiect most deface As euery one seem'd meetest in that cace Seuen of the same against the Castle gate In strong entrenchments he did closely place Which with incessaunt force and endlesse hate They battred day and night and entraunce did awate The other fine fiue sondry wayes he sett Against the fiue great Bulwarkes of that pyle And vnto each a Bulwarke did arrett T' assayle with open force or hidden guyle In hope thereof to win victorious spoile They all that charge did feruently apply With greedie malice and importune toyle And planted there their huge artillery With which they dayly made most dreadfull battery The first troupe was a monstrous rablement Of fowle misshapen wightes of which some were Headed like Owles with beckes vncomely bent Others like Dogs others like Gryphons dreare And some had wings and some had clawes to teare And euery one of them had Lynces eyes And euery one did bow and arrowes beare All those were lawlesse lustes corrupt enuyes And couetous aspects all cruel enimyes Those same against the bulwarke of the Sight Did lay strong siege and battailous assault Ne once did yield it respitt day nor night But soone as Titan gan his head exault And soone againe as he his light withhault Their wicked engins they against it bent That is each thing by which the eyes may fault But two then all more huge and violent Beautie and money they against that Bulwarke lent The second Bulwarke was the Hearing sence Gainst which the second troupe assignment makes Deformed creatures in straunge difference Some hauing heads like Harts some like to Snakes Some like wilde Bores late rouzd out of the brakes Slaunderous reproches and fowle infamies Leasinges backbytinges and vaineglorious crakes Bad counsels prayses and false flatteries All those against that fort did bend their batteries Likewise that same third Fort that is the Smell Of that third troupe was cruelly assayd Whose hideous shapes were like to feendes of hell Some like to houndes some like to Apes dismayd Some like to Puttockes all in plumes arayd All shap't according their conditions For by those vgly formes weren pourtrayd Foolish delights and fond abusions Which doe that sence besiege with light illusions And that fourth band which cruell battry bent Against the fourth Bulwarke that is the Taste Was as the rest a grysie rablement Some mouth'd like greedy Oystriges some faste Like loathly Toades some fashioned in the waste Like swine for so deformd is luxury Surfeat misdiet and vnthriftie waste Vaine feastes and ydle superfluity All those this sences Fort assayle incessantly But the fift troupe most horrible of hew And ferce of force is dreadfull to report For some like Snailes some did like spyders shew And some like vgly Vrchins thick and short Cruelly they assayed that fift Fort Armed with dartes of sensuall delight With stinges of carnall lust and strong effort Of feeling pleasures with which day and night Against that same fift bulwarke they continued fight Thus these twelue troupes with dreadfull puissaunce Against that Castle restlesse siege did lay And euermore their hideous Ordinaunce Vpon the Bulwarkes cruelly did play That now it
stedfast hand vpon his horse did stay And led him to the Castle by the beaten way Where many Groomes and Squyres ready were To take him from his steed full tenderly And eke the fayrest Alma mett him there With balme and wine and costly spicery To comfort him in his infirmity Eftesoones shee causd him vp to be conuayd And of his armes despoyled easily In sumptuons bed shee made him to be layd And al the while his woūds were dressing by him stayd Cant. XII Guyon through Palmers gouernaunce through passing perilles great Doth ouerthrow the Bowre of blis and Acrasy defeat NOw ginnes this goodly frame of Temperaunce Fayrely to rise and her adorned hed To pricke of highest prayse forth to aduaunce Formerly grounded and fast setteled On firme foundation of true bountyhed And this braue knight that for this vertue fightes Now comes to point of that same perilous sted Where Pleasure dwelles in sensuall delights Mongst thousand dagers ten thousād Magick mights Two dayes now in that sea he sayled has Ne euer land beheld ne liuing wight Ne ought saue perill still as he did pas Tho when appeared the third Morrow bright Vpon the waues to spred her trembling light An hideous roring far away they heard That all their sences filled with affright And streight they saw the raging surges reard Vp to the skyes that them of drowning made affeard Said then the Boteman Palmer stere aright And keepe an euen course for yonder way We needes must pas God doe vs well acquight That is the Gulfe of Greedinesse they say That deepe engorgeth all this worldes pray Which hauing swallowd vp excessiuely He soone in vomit vp againe doth lay And belcheth forth his superfluity That all the seas for feare did seeme away to fly On thother syde an hideous Rock is pight Of mightie Magnes stone whose craggie clift Depending from on high dreadfull to sight Ouer the waues his rugged armes doth lift And threatneth downe to throw his ragged rift On whoso cometh nigh yet nigh it drawes All passengers that none from it can shift For whiles they fly that Gulfes deuouring iawes They on this Rock are rent and sunck in helples wawes Forward they passe and strongly he them rowes Vntill they nigh vnto that Gulfe arryue Where streame more violent and greedy growes Then he with all his puisaunce doth stryue To strike his oares and mightily doth dryue The hollow vessell through the threatfull waue Which gaping wide to swallow them alyue In th'huge abysse of his engulfing graue Doth rore at them in vaine and with great terrour raue They passing by that grisely mouth did see Sucking the seas into his entralles deepe That seemd more horrible then hell to bee Or that darke dreadfull hole of Tartare steepe Through which the damned ghosts doen often creep Backe to the world bad liuers to torment But nought that falles into this direfull deepe Ne that approcheth nigh the wyde descent May backe retourne but is condemned to be drent On thother side they saw that perilous Rocke Threatning it selfe on them to ruinate On whose sharp cliftes the ribs of vessels broke And shiuered ships which had beene wrecked late Yet stuck with carcases exanimate Of such as hauing all their substance spent In wanton ioyes and lustes intemperate Did after wardes make shipwrack violent Both of their life and fame for euer fowly blent For thy this hight The Rock of vile Reproch A daungerous and detestable place To which nor fish nor fowle did once approch But yelling Meawes with Seagulles hoars and bace And Cormoyraunts with birds of rauenous race Which still sat weiting on that wastfull clift For spoile of wretches whose vnhappy cace After lost credit and consumed thrift At last them driuen hath to this despairefull drift The Palmer seeing them in safetie past Thus saide behold th'ensamples in our sightes Of lustfull luxurie and thriftlesse wast What now is left of miserable wightes Which spent their looser daies in leud delightes But shame and sad reproch here to be red By these rent reliques speaking their ill plightes Let all that liue hereby be counselled To shunne Rock of Reproch and it as death to dread So forth they rowed and that Ferryman With his stiffe oares did brush the sea so strong That the hoare waters from his frigotran And the light bubles daunced all along Whiles the salt brine out of the billowes sprong At last far off they many Islandes spy On euery side floting the floodes emong Then said the knight Lo I the land descry Therefore old Syre thy course doe thereunto apply That may not bee said then the Ferryman Least wee vnweeting hap to be fordonne For those same Islands seeming now and than Are not firme land nor any certein wonne But stragling plots which to and fro doe ronne In the wide waters therefore are they hight The wandring Islands Therefore doe them shonne For they haue ofte drawne many a wandring wight Into most deadly daunger and distressed plight Yet well they seeme to him that farre doth vew Both faire and fruitfull and the grownd dispred With grassy greene of delectable hew And the tall trees with leaues appareled Are deckt with blossoms dyde in white and red That mote the passengers thereto allure But whosoeuer once hath fastened His foot thereon may neuer it recure But wandreth euer more vncertein and vnsure As th' Isle of Delos whylome men report Amid th' 〈◊〉 sea long time did stray Ne made for shipping any certeine port Till that Latona traueiling that way Flying from Iunoes wrath and hard assay Of her fayre twins was there deliuered Which afterwards did rule the night and day Thenceforth it firmely was established And for Apolloes temple highly her ried They to him hearken as beseemeth meete And passe on forward so their way does ly That one of those same Islands which doe fleet In the wide sea they needes must passen by Which seemd so sweet and pleasaunt to the eye That it would tempt a man to touchen there Vpon the banck they sitting did espy A daintie damsell dressing of her heare By whom a little skippet floting did appeare She them espying loud to them can call Bidding them nigher draw vnto the shore For she had cause to busie them withall And therewith lowdly laught But nathemore Would they once turne but kept on as afore Which when she saw she left her lockes vndight And running to her boat wihtouten ore From the departing land it launched light And after them did driue with all her power and might Whom ouertaking she in merry sort Them gan to bord and purpose diuersly Now faining dalliaunce and wanton sport Now throwing forth lewd wordes immodestly Till that the Palmer gan full bitterly Her to rebuke for being loose and light Which not abiding but more scornfully Scoffing at him that did her iustly wite She turnd her bote about and from them rowed quite That was the wanton Phoedria which late Did ferry him ouer the
and deare The sea vnto him voluntary brings That shortly he a great Lord did appeare As was in all the lond of Faery or else wheare Thereto he was a doughty dreaded knight Tryde often to the scath of many Deare That none in equall armes him matchen might The which his mother seeing gan to feare Least his too haughtie hardines might reare Some hard mishap in hazard of his life For thy she oft him counseld to forbeare The bloody batteill and to stirre vp strife But after all his warre to rest his wearie knife And for his more assuraunce she inquir'd One day of Proteus by his mighty spell For Proteus was with prophecy inspir'd Her deare sonnes destiny to her to tell And the sad end of her sweet Marinell Who through foresight of his eternall skill Bad her from womankind to keepe him well For of a woman he should haue much ill A virgin straunge and stout him should dismay or kill For thy she gaue him warning euery day The loue of women not to entertaine A lesson too too hard for liuing clay From loue in course of nature to refraine Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine And euer from fayre Ladies loue did fly Yet many Ladies fayre did oft complaine That they for loue of him would algates dy Dy who so list for him he was loues enimy But ah who can deceiue his destiny Or weene by warning to auoyd his fate That when he sleepes in most security And safest seemes him soonest doth amate And findeth dew effect or soone or late So feeble is the powre of fleshy arme His mother bad him wemens loue to hate For she of womans force did feare no harme So weening to haue arm'd him she did quite disarme This was that woman this 〈◊〉 deadly wownd That Proteus prophecide should him dismay The wich his mother vainely did expownd To be hart-wown ding loue which should assay To bring her sonne vnto his last decay So ticle be the tetmes of mortall state And full of subtile so phismes which doe play With double sences and with false debate T approue the vnknowen purpose of eternall fate Too trew the famous Marinell it fownd Who through late triall on that wealthy Strond Inglorious now lies in sencelesse swownd Through heauy stroke of Britomartis hond Which when his mother deare did vnderstond And heauy tidings heard whereas she playd Amongst her watry sisters by a pond Gathering sweete daffadillyes to haue made Gay girlonds from the Sun their forheads fayr to shade Eftesoones both flowres and girlonds far away Shee flong and her faire deawy locks yrent To sorrow huge she turnd her former play And gameson merth to grieuous dreriment Shee threw her selfe downe on the Continent Ne word did speake but lay as in aswownd Whiles al her sisters did for her lament With yelling outcries and with 〈◊〉 sowne And euery one did teare her gitlond from her crowne Soone as shee vp out of her deadly fitt Arose shee bad her charett to be brought And all her sisters that with her did sitt Bad eke attonce their charetts to be sought Tho full of bitter griefe and pensife thought She to her wagon clombe clombe all the rest And forth together went with sorow fraught The waues obedient to theyr beheast Them yielded ready passage and their rage surceast Great Neptune stoode amazed at their sight Whiles on his broad rownd backe they softly slid And eke him selfe mournd at their mournfull plight Yet wist not what their wailing ment yet did For great compassion of their sorow bid His mighty waters to them buxome bee Estesoones the roaring billowes still abid And all the griesly Monstes of the See Stood gaping at their gate and wondred them to see A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray Drew the smooth charett of sad Cymoent They were all taught by Triton to obay To the long raynes at her commaundement As swifte as swallowes on the waues they went That their brode flaggy finnes no fome did reare Ne bubling rowndell they behinde them sent The rest of other fishes drawen weare Which with 〈◊〉 finny oars the swelling sea did sheare Soone as they bene arriu'd vpon the brim Of the Rich strond their charets they forlore And let their temed fishes softly swim Along the margent of the fomy shore Least they their finnes should bruze and surbate sore Their tender feete vpon the stony grownd And comming to the place where all in gore And cruddy blood enwallowed they fownd The lucklesse Marinell lying in deadly swownd His mother swowned thrise and the third time Could scarce recouered bee out of her paine Had she not beene 〈◊〉 of mortall slime Shee should not then haue bene relyu'd againe But soone as life recouered had the raine Shee made so piteous mone and deare wayment That the hard rocks could scarse from tears refraine And all her sister Nymphes with one consent Supplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement Deare image of my selfe she sayd that is The wretched 〈◊〉 of wretched mother borne Is this thine high aduauncement O is this Th' immortall name with which thee yet vnborne Thy Gransire Nereus promist to adorne Now lyest thou of life and honor refte Now lyest thou a lumpe of earth forlorne Ne of thy late life memory is lefte Ne can thy irreuocable desteny bee wefte Fond Proteus father of false prophecis And they more fond that credit to thee giue Not this the worke of womans hand ywis That so deepe wound through these deare members driue I feared loue but they that loue doe liue But they that dye doe nether loue nor hate Nath'lesse to thee thy folly I forgiue And to myselfe and to accursed fate The guilt I doe ascribe deare wisedom bought too late O what auailes it of immortall seed To beene ybredd and neuer borne to dye Farre better I it deeme to die with speed Then waste in woe and waylfull miserye Who dyes the vtmost dolor doth abye But who that liues is lefte to waile his losse So life is losse and death felicity Sad life worse then glad death and greater crosse To see frends graue thē dead the graue self to engrosse But if the heauens did his dayes enuie And my short blis maligne yet mote they well Thus much afford me ere that he did die That the dim eies of my deare Marinell I mote haue closed and him bed farewell Sith other offices for mother meet They would not graunt Yett maulgre them farewell my sweetest sweet Farewell my sweetest sonne till we againe may meet Thus when they all had sorowed their fill They softly gan to search his griesly wownd And that they might him handle more at will They him disarmd and spredding on the grownd Their watcher mantles frindgd with siluer rownd They softly wipt away the gelly blood From th'orifice which hauing well vpbownd They pourd in soueraine balme and Nectar good Good both for erthly med'cine and for heuenly food Tho when the lilly handed Liagore
This Liagore whilome had learned skill In leaches craft by great Appolloes lore Sith her whilome vpon high Pindus hill He loued and at last her wombe did fill With heuenly seed whereof wise Paeon sprong Did feele his pulse shee knew their staied still Some litle life his feeble sprites emong Which to his mother told despeyre she frō her flong Tho vp him taking in their tender hands They easely vnto her charett beare Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare And strowe with flowres the lamentable beare Then all the rest into their coches clim And through the brackish waues their passage shear Vpon great Neptunes necke they softly swim And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him Deepe in the bottome of the sea her bowre Is built of hollow billowes heaped hye Like to thicke clouds that threat a stormy showre And vauted all within like to the Skye In which the Gods doe dwell eternally There they him laide in easy couch well dight And sent in haste for Tryphon to apply Salues to his wounds and medicines of might For Tryphon of sea gods the soueraine leach is hight The whiles the Nymphes sitt all about him rownd Lamenting his mishap and heauy plight And ofte his mother vewing his wide wownd Cursed the hand that did so deadly smight Her dearest sonne her dearest harts delight But none of all those curses ouertooke The warlike Maide th'ensample of that might But fairely well shee thryud and well did brooke Her noble deeds ne her right course for ought forsooke Yet did false Archimage her still pursew To bring to passe his mischieuous intent Now that he had her singled from the crew Of courteous knights the Prince and Fary gent Whom late in chace of beauty excellent Shee lefte pursewing that same foster strong Of whose fowle outrage they impatient And full of firy zele him followed long To reskew her from shame and to reuenge her wrong Through thick and thin through mountains through playns Those two gret chāpions did attonce pursew The fearefull damzell with incessant payns Who from them fled as light-foot hare from vew Of hunter swifte and sent of howndes trew At last they came vnto a double way Where doubtfull which to take her to reskew Themselues they did dispart each to assay Whether more happy were to win so goodly pray But Timias the Princes gentle Squyre That Ladies loue vnto his Lord forlent And with proud enuy and indignant yre After that wicked foster fiercely went So beene they three three sondry wayes ybent But fayrest fortune to the Prince befell Whose chaunce it was that soone he did repent To take that way in which that Damozell Was fledd afore affraid of him as feend of hell At last of her far of he gained vew Then gan he freshly pricke his fomy 〈◊〉 And euer as he nigher to her drew So euermore he did increase his speed And of each turning still kept wary heed Alowd to her he oftentimes did call To doe away vaine doubt and needlesse dreed Full myld to her he spake and oft let fall Many meeke wordes to stay and comfort her withall But nothing might relent her hasty flight So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine Was earst impressed in her gentle spright Like as a fearefull Doue which through the raine Of the wide ayre her way does cut amaine Hauing farre off espyde a Tassell gent Which after her his nimble winges doth straine Doubleth her hast for feare to bee for-hent And with her pineons cleaues the liquid firmament With no lesse hast and eke with no lesse dreed That fearefull Ladie fledd from him that ment To her no euill thought nor euill deed Yet former feare of being fowly shent Carried her forward with her first intent And though oft looking backward well she vewde Her selfe freed from that foster insolent And that it was a knight which now her sewde Yet she no lesse the knight feard then that villein rude His vncouth shield and straunge armes her dismayd Whose like in Faery lond were seldom seene That fast she from him fledd no lesse afrayd Then of wilde beastes if she had chased beene Yet he her followd still with corage keene So long that now the golden Hesperus Was mounted high in top of heauen sheene And warnd his other brethren ioyeous To light their blessed lamps in 〈◊〉 eternall hous All suddeinly dim wox the dampish ayre And griesly shadowes couered heauen bright That now with thousand starres was decked fayre Which when the Prince beheld a lothfull sight And that perforce for want of lenger light He motesurceasse his suit and lose the hope Of his long labour he gan fowly wyte His wicked fortune that had turnd aslope And cursed night that reft from him so goodly scope Tho when her wayes he could no more descry But to and fro at disauenture strayd Like as a ship whose Lodestar suddeinly Couered with cloudes her Pilott hath dismayd His wearisome pursuit perforce he stayd And from his loftie steed dismounting low Did let him forage Downe himselfe he layd Vpon the grassy ground to sleepe a throw The cold earth was his couch the hard steele his pillow But gentle Sleepe enuyde him any rest In stead thereof sad sorow and disdaine Of his hard hap did vexe his noble brest And thousand fancies bett his ydle brayne With their light wings the sights of semblants vaine Oft did he wish that Lady faire mote bee His faery Queene for whom he did complaine Or that his Faery Queene were such as shee And euer hasty Night he blamed bitterlie Night thou foule Mother of annoyaunce sad Sister of heauie death and nourse of woe Which wast be got in heauen but for thy bad And brutish shape thrust downe to hell below Where by the grim floud of Cocytus slow Thy dwelling is in Herebus black hous Black Herebus thy husband is the foe Of all the Gods where thou vngratious Halfe of thy dayes doest lead in horrour hideous What had th' eternall Maker need of thee The world in his continuall course to keepe That doest all thinges deface ne lettest see The beautie of his worke Indeed in sleepe The slouthfull body that doth loue to steep His lustlefse limbes and drowne his baser mind Doth praise thee oft and oft from Stygian deepe Calles thee his goddesse in his errour blind And great Dame Natures handmaide chearing euery kind But well I wote that to an heauy hart Thou art the roote and nourse of bitter cares Breeder of new renewer of old smarts In stead of rest thou lendest rayling teares In stead of sleepe thou sendest troublous feares And dreadfull visions in the which aliue The dreary image of sad death appeares So from the wearie spirit thou doest driue Desired rest and men of happinesse depriue Vnder thy mantle black there hidden lye Light-shonning thefte and traiterous intent Abhorred bloodshed and vile felony Shamefull deceipt and daunger imminent
other knight begonne To wex exceeding wroth and him aredd To turne his steede about or sure he should be dedd Sith then said Braggadochio needes thou wilt Thy daies abridge through proofe of puissaunce Turne we our steeds that both in equall tilt May meete againe and each take happy chaunce This said they both a furlongs mountenaunce Retird their steeds to ronne in euen race But Braggadochio with his bloody launce Once hauing turnd no more returnd his face But lefte his loue to losse and fled him selfe apace The knight him seeing flie had no regard Him to poursew but to the lady rode And hauing her from Trompart lightly reard Vpon his Courser sett the louely lode And with her fled away without abode Well weened he that fairest Florimell It was with whom in company he yode And so her selfe did alwaies to him tell So made him thinke him selfe in heuen that was in hell But Florimell her selfe was far away Driuen to great distresse by fortune straunge And taught the carefull Mariner to play Sith late mischaunce had her compeld to chaunge The land for sea at randon there to raunge Yett there that cruell Queene auengeresse Not satisfyde so far her to estraunge From courtly blis and wonted happinesse Did heape on her new waues of weary wretchednesse For being fled into the fishers bote For refuge from the Monsters cruelty Long so she on the mighty maine did flote And with the tide droue forward carelesly For th' ayre was milde and cleared was the skie And all his windes Dan Aeolus did keepe From stirring vp their stormy enmity As pittying to see her waile and weepe But all the while the fisher did securely sleepe At last when droncke with drowsinesse he woke And saw his drouer driue along the streame He was dismayd and thrise his brest he stroke For marueill of that accident extreame But when he saw that blazing beauties beame Which with rare light his bote did beautifye He marueild more and thought he yet did dreame Not well awakte or that some extasye Assotted had his sence or dazed was his eye But when her well auizing hee peceiu'd To be no vision nor fantasticke sight Great comfort of her presence he conceiu'd And felt in his old corage new delight To gin awake and stir his frosen spright Tho rudely askte her how she thether came Ah sayd she father I note read aright What hard misfortune brought me to this same Yet am I glad that here I now in fafety ame But thou good man sith far in sea we bee And the great waters gin apace to swell That now no more we can the mayn-land see Haue care I pray to guide the cock-bote well Least worse on sea then vs on land befell Thereat th' old man did nought but fondly grin And saide his boat the way could wisely tell But his deceiptfull eyes did neuer lin To looke on her faire face and marke her snowy skin The sight whereof in his congealed flesh Infixt such secrete sting of greedy lust That the drie withered stocke it gan refresh And kindled heat that soone in flame forth brust The driest wood is soonest burnt to dust Rudely to her he lept and his rough hand Where ill became him rashly would haue thrust But she with angry scorne him did withstond And shamefully reprou'd for his ru denes fond But he that neuer good nor maners knew Her sharpe rebuke full litle did esteeme Hard is to teach an old horse amble trew The inward smoke that did before but steeme Broke into open fire and rage extreme And now he strength gan adde vnto his will Forcyng to doe that did him fowle misseeme Beastly he threwe her downe ne car'd to spill Her garments gay with scales of fish that all did fill The silly virgin stroue him to withstand All that she might and him in vaine reuild Sheestrugled strongly both with foote and hand To saue her honor from that villaine vilde And cride to heuen from humane helpe exild O ye braue knights that boast this Ladies loue Where be ye now when she is nigh defild Of filthy wretch well may she you reproue Of falsehood or of slouth when most it may behoue But if that thou Sir Satyran didst weete Or thou Sir Peridure her sory state How soone would yee assemble many a fleete To fetch from sea that ye at land lost late Towres citties kingdomes ye would ruinate In your auengement and dispiteous rage Ne ought your burning fury mote abate But if Sir Calidore could it presage No liuing creature could his cruelty asswage But sith that none of all her knights is nye See how the heauens of voluntary grace And soueraine fauor towards chastity Doesuccor send to her distressed cace So much high God doth innocence embrace It fortuned whilest thus she stifly stroue And the wide sea importuned long space With shrilling shriekes Proteus abrode did roue Along the fomy waues driuing his finny droue Proteus is Shepheard of the seas of yore And hath the charge of Neptunes mighty heard An aged sire with head all frowy hore And sprinckled frost vpon his deawy beard Who when those pittifull outcries he heard Through all the seas so ruefully resownd His charett swifte in hast he thether steard Which with a teeme of scaly Phocas bownd Was drawne vpon the waues that fomed him arownd And comming to that Fishers wandring bote That 〈◊〉 at will withouten card or sayle He therein saw that yrkesome sight which smote Deepe indignation and compassion frayle Into his hart attonce streight did he hayle The greedy villein from his hoped pray Of which he now did very litle fayle And with his staffe that driues his heard astray Him bett fo sore that life and sence did much dismay The whiles the pitteous Lady vp did ryse Ruffled and fowly raid with filthy soyle And blubbred face with teares of her faire 〈◊〉 Her heart nigh broken was with weary toyle To saue her selfe from that outrageous spoyle But when she looked vp to weet what wight Had her from so infamous fact assoyld For shame but more for feare of his grim sight Downe in her lap she hid her face and lowdly shright Herselfe not saued yet from daunger dredd She thought but chaung'd from one to other feare Like as a fearefull partridge that is fledd From the sharpe hauke which her attached neare And fals to ground to seeke for succor theare Whereas the hungry Spaniells she does spye With greedy iawes her ready for to teare In such distresse and sad perplexity Was Florimell when Proteus she did see her by But he endeuored with speaches milde Her to recomfort and accourage bold Bidding her feare no more her foeman vilde Nor doubt himselfe and who he was her told Yet all that could not from affright her hold Ne to recomfort her at all preuayld For her faint hart was with the frosen cold Benumbd so inly that her wits nigh fayld And all her sences with abashment quite were
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