dearling base To whom the keyes of euery prison dore By her committed be of speciall grace And at his will may whom he list restore And whom he list reserue to be afflicted more Whereof when tydings came vnto mine eare Full inly sorie for the feruent zeale Which I to him as to my soule did beare I thether went where I did long conceale My selfe till that the Dwarfe did me reueale And told his Dame her Squire of low degree Did secretly out of her prison steale For me he did mistake that Squire to bee For neuer two so like did liuing creature see Then was I taken and before her brought Who through the likenesse of my outward hew Being likewise beguiled in her thought Gan blame me much for being so vntrew To seeke by flight her fellowship t' eschew That lou'd me deare as dearest thing aliue Thence she commaunded me to prison new Whereof I glad did not gainesay nor striue But suffred that same Dwarfe me to her dongeon driue There did I finde mine onely faithfull frend In heauy plight and sad perplexitie Whereof I sorie yet my selfe did bend Him to recomfort with my companie But him the more agreeu'd I found thereby For all his ioy he said in that distresse Was mine and his Aemylias libertie Aemylia well he lou'd as I mote ghesse Yet greater loue to me then her he did professe But I with better reason him auiz'd And shew'd him how through error and mis-thought Of our like persons eath to be disguiz'd Or his exchange or freedome might be wrought Whereto full loth was he ne would for ought Consent that I who stood all fearelesse free Should wilfully be into thraldome brought Till fortune did perforce it so decree Yet ouerrul'd at last he did to me agree The morrow next about the wonted howre The Dwarfe cald at the doore of Amyas To come forthwith vnto his Ladies bowre In steed of whom forth came I Placidas And vndiscerned forth with him did pas There with great ioyance and with gladsome glee Of faire Poeana I receiued was And oft imbrast as if that I were hee And with kind words accoyd vowing great loue to mee Which I that was not bent to former loue As was my friend that had her long refusd Did well accept as well it did behoue And to the present neede it wisely vsd My former hardnesse first I faire excusd And after promist large amends to make With such smooth termes her error I abusd To my friends good more then for mine owne sake For whose sole libertie I loue and life did stake Thenceforth I found more fauour at her hand That to her Dwarfe which had me in his charge She bad to lighten my too heauie band And graunt more scope to me to walke at large So on a day as by the flowrie marge Of a fresh streame I with that Elfe did play Finding no meanes how I might vs enlarge But if that Dwarfe I could with me conuay I lightly snatcht him vp and with me bore away Thereat he shriekt aloud that with his cry The Tyrant selfe came forth with yelling bray And me pursew'd but nathemore would I Forgoe the purchase of my gotten pray But haue perforce him hether brought away Thus as they talked loe where nigh at hand Those Ladies two yet doubtfull through dismay In presence came desirous t' vnderstand Tydings of all which there had hapned on the land Where soone as sad Aemylia did espie Her captiue louers friend young Placidas All mindlesse of her wonted modestie She to him ran and him with streight embras Enfolding said and liues yet Amyas He liues quoth he and his Aemylia loues Then lesse said she by all the woe I pas With which my weaker patience fortune proues But what mishap thus long him fro my selfe remoues Then gan he all this storie to renew And tell the course of his captiuitie That her deare hart full deepely made to rew And sigh full sore to heare the miserie In which so long he mercilesse did lie Then after many teares and sorrowes spent She deare besought the Prince of remedie Who thereto did with readie will consent And well perform'd as shall appeare by his euent Cant. IX The Squire of low degree releast Poeana takes to wife Britomart fightes with many Knights Prince Arthur stints their strife HArd is the doubt and difficult to deeme When all three kinds of loue together meet And doe dispart the hart with powre extreme Whether shall weigh the balance downe to weet The deare affection vnto kindred sweet Or raging fire of loue to woman kind Or zeale of friends combynd with vertues meet But of them all the band of vertues mind Me seemes the gentle hart should most assured bind For naturall affection soone doth cesse And quenched is with Cupids greater flame But faithfull friendship doth them both suppresse And them with maystring discipline doth tame Through thoughts aspyring to eternall fame For as the soule doth rule the earthly masse And all the seruice of the bodie frame So loue of soule doth loue of bodie passe No lesse then perfect gold surmounts the meanest brasse All which who list by tryall to assay Shall in this storie find approued plaine In which these Squires true friendship more did sway Then either care of parents could refraine Or loue of fairest Ladie could constraine For though Poeana were as faire as morne Yet did this Trustie squire with proud disdaine For his friends sake her offred fauours scorne And she her selfe her syre of whom she was yborne Now after that Prince Arthur graunted had To yeeld strong succour to that gentle swayne Who now long time had lyen in prison sad He gan aduise how best he mote darrayne That enterprize for greatest glories gayne That headlesse tyrants tronke he reard from ground And hauing ympt the head to it agayne Vpon his vsuall beast it firmely bound And made it so to ride as it aliue was found Then did he take that chaced Squire and layd Before the ryder as he captiue were And made his Dwarfe though with vnwilling ayd To guide the beast that did his maister beare Till to his castle they approched neare Whom when the watch that kept continuall ward Saw comming home all voide of doubtfull feare He running downe the gate to him vnbard Whom straight the Prince ensuing in together far'd There he did find in her delitious boure The faire Poeana playing on a Rote Complayning of her cruell Paramoure And singing all her sorrow to the note As she had learned readily by rote That with the sweetnesse of her rare delight The Prince halfe rapt began on her to dote Till better him bethinking of the right He her vnwares attacht and captiue held by might Whence being forth produc'd when she perceiued Her owne deare sire she cald to him for aide But when of him no aunswere she receiued But saw him sencelesse by the Squire vpstaide She weened well that then she
table for eternall moniment Of thy great grace and my great ieopardee Great Neptune I auow to hallow vnto thee Then sighing softly sore and inly deepe She shut vp all her plaint in priuy griefe For her great courage would not let her weepe Till that old Glauce gan with sharpe repriefe Her to restraine and giue her good reliefe Through hope of those which Merlin had her told Should of her name and nation be chiefe And fetch their being from the sacred mould Of her immortall wombe to be in heauen enrold Thus as she her recomforted she spyde Where farre away one all in armour bright With hastie gallop towards her did ryde Her dolour soone she ceast and on her dight Her Helmet to her Courser mounting light Her former sorrow into suddein wrath Both coosen passions of distroubled spright Conuerting forth she beates the dustie path Loue and despight attonce her courage kindled hath As when a foggy mist hath ouercast The face of heauen and the cleare aire engrost The world in darkenesse dwels till that at last The watry Southwinde from the seabord cost Vpblowing doth disperse the vapour lo'st And poures it selfe forth in a stormy showre So the faire Britomart hauing disclo'st Her clowdy care into a wrathfull stowre The mist of griefe dissolu'd into vengeance powre Eftsoones her goodly shield addressing faire That mortall speare she in her hand did take And vnto battell did her selfe prepaire The knight approching sternely her bespake Sir knight that doest thy voyage rashly make By this forbidden way in my despight Ne doest by others death ensample take I read thee soone retyre whiles thou hast might Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat She shortly thus Fly they that need to fly Words fearen babes I meane not thee entreat To passe but maugre thee will passe or dy Ne lenger stayd for th' other to reply But with sharpe speares the rest made dearly knowne Srongly the straunge knight ran and sturdily Strooke her full on the brest that made her downe Decline her head touch her crouper with her crowne But she againe him in the shield did smite With so fierce furie and great puissaunce That through his threesquare scuchin percing quite And through his mayled hauberque by mischaunce The wicked steele through his left side did glaunce Him so transfixed she before her bore Beyond his croupe the length of all her launce Till sadly soucing on the sandie shore He tombled on an heape and wallowd in his gore Like as the sacred Oxe that carelesse stands With gilden hornes and flowry girlonds crownd Proud of his dying honor and deare bands Whiles th' altars fume with frankincense arownd All suddenly with mortall stroke astownd Doth groueling fall and with his streaming gore Distaines the pillours and the holy grownd And the faire flowres that decked him afore So fell proud Marinell vpon the pretious shore The martiall Mayd stayd not him to lament But forward rode and kept her readie way Along the strond which as she ouer-went She saw bestrowed all with rich aray Of pearles and pretious stones of great assay And all the grauell mixt with golden owre Whereat she wondred much but would not stay For gold or perles or pretious stones an howre But them despised all for all was in her powre Whiles thus he lay in deadly stonishment Tydings hereof came to his mothers eare His mother was the blacke-browd Cymoent The daughter of great Nereus which did beare This warlike sonne vnto an earthly peare The famous Dumarin who on a day Finding the Nymph a sleepe in secret wheare As he by chaunce did wander that same way Was taken with her loue and by her closely lay There he this knight of her begot whom borne She of his father Marinell did name And in a rocky caue as wight forlorne Long time she fostred vp till he became A mightie man at armes and mickle fame Did get through great aduentures by him donne For neuer man he suffred by that same Rich strond to trauell whereas he did wonne But that he must do battell with the Sea-nymphes sonne An hundred knights of honorable name He had subdew'd and them his vassals made That through all Farie lond his noble fame Now blazed was and feare did all inuade That none durst passen through that perilous glade And to aduance his name and glorie more Her Sea-god syre she dearely did perswade T'endow her sonne with threasure and rich store Boue all the sonnes that were of earthly wombes ybore The God did graunt his daughters deare demaund To doen his Nephew in all riches flow Eftsoones his heaped waues he did commaund Out of their hollow bosome forth to throw All the huge threasure which the sea below Had in his greedie gulfe deuoured deepe And him enriched through the ouerthrow And wreckes of many wretches which did weepe And often waile their wealth which he from them did keepe Shortly vpon that shore there heaped was Exceeding riches and all pretious things The spoyle of all the world that it did pas The wealth of th' East and pompe of Persian kings Gold amber yuorie perles owches rings And all that else was pretious 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 elsewheare Thereto he was a doughtie 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 bloudie battell and to stirre vp strife But after all his warre to rest his wearie knife And for his more assurance she inquir'd One day of Proteus by his mightie spell For Proteus was with prophecie inspir'd Her deare sonnes destinie 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 strange 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 faire Ladies loue did fly Yet many Ladies faire 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 fleshly arme His mother bad him womens loue to hate For she of womans force did feare no harme So weening to haue arm'd him she did quite disarme This
spreds through heauen bright Blindfold he was and in his cruell fist A mortall bow and arrowes keene did hold With which he shot at randon when him list Some headed with sad lead some with pure gold Ah man beware how thou those darts behold A wounded Dragon vnder him did ly Whose hideous tayle his left foot did ensold And with a shaft was shot through either eye That no man forth might draw ne no man remedye And vnderneath his feet was written thus Vnto the Victor of the Gods this bee And all the people in that ample hous Did to that image bow their humble knee And oft committed fowle Idola tree That wondrous sight faire Britomart amazed Ne seeing could her wonder satisfie But euermore and more vpon it gazed The whiles the passing brightnes her fraile sences dazed Tho as she backward cast her busie eye To search each secret of that goodly sted Ouer the dore thus written she did spye Be hold she oft and oft it ouer-red Yet could not find what sence it figured But what so were therein or writ or ment She was no whit thereby discouraged From prosecuting of her first intent But forward with bold steps into the next roome went Much fairer then the former was that roome And richlier by many partes arayd For not with arras made in painefull loome But with pure gold it all was ouerlayd Wrought with wilde Antickes which their follies playd In the rich metall as they liuing were A thousand monstrous formes therein were made Such as false loue doth oft vpon him weare For loue in thousand mōstrous formes doth oft appeare And all about the glistring walles were hong With warlike spoiles and with victorious prayes Of mighty Conquerours and Captaines strong Which were whilome captiued in their dayes To cruell loue and wrought their owne decayes Their swerds speres were broke hauberques rent And their proud girlonds of tryumphant bayes Troden in dust with fury insolent To shew the victors might and mercilesse intent The warlike Mayde beholding earnestly The goodly ordinance of this rich place Did greatly wonder ne could satisfie Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space But more she meruaild that no footings trace Nor wight appear'd but wastefull emptinesse And solemne silence ouer all that place Straunge thing it seem'd that none was to possesse So rich purueyance ne them keepe with carefulnesse And as she lookt about she did behold How ouer that same dore was likewise writ Be bold be bold and euery where Be bold That much she muz'd yet could not construe it By any ridling skill or commune wit At last she spyde at that roomes vpper end Another yron dore on which was writ Be not too bold whereto though she did bend Her earnest mind yet wist not what it might intend Thus she there waited vntill euentyde Yet liuing creature none she saw appeare And now sad shadowes gan the world to hyde From mortall vew and wrap in darkenesse dreare Yet nould she d'off her weary armes for feare Of secret daunger ne let sleepe oppresse Her heauy eyes with natures burdein deare But drew her selfe aside in sickernesse And her welpointed weapons did about her dresse Cant. XII The maske of Cupid and th'enchaunted Chamber are displayd Whence Britomart redeemes faire Amoret through charmes decayd THo when as chearelesse Night ycouered had Faire heauen with an vniuersall cloud That euery wight dismayd with darknesse sad In silence and in sleepe themselues did shroud She heard a shrilling Trompet sound aloud Signe of nigh battell or got victory Nought therewith daunted was her courage proud But rather stird to cruell enmity Expecting cuer when some foe she might descry With that an hideous storme of winde arose With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt And an earth-quake as if it streight would lose The worlds foundations from his centre fixt A direfull stench of smoke and sulphure mixt Ensewd whose noyance fild the fearefull sted From the fourth houre of night vntill the sixt Yet the bold Britonesse was nought ydred Though much emmou'd but stedfast still perseuered All suddenly a stormy whirlwind blew Throughout the house that clapped euery dore With which that yron wicket open flew As it with mightie leuers had bene tore And forth issewd as on the ready flore Of some Theatre a graue personage That in his hand a branch of laurell bore With comely haueour and count'nance sage Yclad in costly garments fit for tragicke Stage Proceeding to the midst he still did stand As if in mind he somewhat had to say And to the vulgar beckning with his hand In signe of silence as to heare a play By liuely actions he gan bewray Some argument of matter passioned Which doen he backe retyred soft away And passing by his name discouered Ease on his robe in golden letters cyphered The noble Mayd still standing all this vewd And merueild at his strange intendiment With that a ioyous fellowship issewd Of Minstrals making goodly meriment With wanton Bardes and Rymers impudent All which together sungfull chearefully A lay of loues delight with sweet consent After whom marcht a iolly company In manner of a maske enranged orderly The whiles a most delitious harmony In full straunge notes was sweetly heard to sound That the rare sweetnesse of the melody The feeble senses wholly did confound And the fraile soule in deepe delight nigh dround And when it ceast shrill trompets loud did bray That their report did farre away rebound And when they ceast it gan againe to play The whiles the maskers marched forth in trim aray The first was Fancy like a louely boy Of rare aspect and beautie without peare Matchable either to that ympe of Troy Whom Ioue did loue and chose his cup to beare Or that same daintie lad which was so deare To great Alcides that when as he dyde He wailed womanlike with many a teare And euery wood and euery valley wyde He fild with Hylas name the Nymphes eke Hylas cryde His garment neither was of silke nor say But painted plumes in goodly order dight Like as the sunburnt Indians do aray Their tawney bodies in their proudest plight As those same plumes so seemd he vaine and light That by his gate might easily appeare For still he far'd as dauncing in delight And in his hand a windy fan did beare That in the idle aire he mou'd still here and there And him beside marcht amorous Desyre Who seemd of riper yeares then th' other Swaine Yet was that others swayne this elders syre And gaue him being commune to them twaine His garment was disguised very vaine And his embrodered Bonet sat awry Twixt both his hands few sparkes he close did straine Which still he blew and kindled busily That soone they life conceiud forth in flames did fly Next after him went Doubt who was yclad In a discolour'd cote of straunge disguyse That at his backe a brode Capuccio had And sleeues dependant Albanese-wyse He lookt askew with
THE FAERIE QVEENE Disposed into twelue bookes Fashioning XII Morall vertues ANCHORA SPEI LONDON Printed for VVilliam Ponsonbie 1596. TO THE MOST HIGH MIGHTIE And MAGNIFICENT EMPRESSE RENOVVMED FOR PIETIE VERTVE AND ALL GRATIOVS GOVERNMENT ELIZABETH BY THE GRACE OF GOD QVEENE OF ENGLAND FRAVNCE AND IRELAND AND OF VIRGINIA DEFENDOVR OF THE FAITH c. HER MOST HVMBLE SERVAVNT EDMVND SPENSER DOTH IN ALL HVMILITIE DEDICATE PRESENT AND CONSECRATE THESE HIS LABOVRS TO LIVE VVITH THE ETERNITIE OF HER FAME THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Contayning THE LEGENDE OF THE KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSSE OR OF HOLINESSE LOI the man whose Muse whilome did maske As time her taught in lowly Shepheards weeds Am now enforst a far vnfitter taske For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds Whose prayses hauing slept in silence long Me all too meane the sacred Muse areeds To blazon broad emongst her learned throng Fierce warres and faithfull loues shall moralize my song Helpe then ô holy Virgin chiefe of nine Thy weaker Nouice to performe thy will Lay forth out of thine euerlasting scryne The antique rolles which there lye hidden still Of Faerie knights and fairest Tanaquill Whom that most noble Briton Prince so long Sought through the world and suffered so much ill That I must rue his vndeserued wrong O helpe thou my weake wit and sharpen my dull tong And thou most dreaded impe of highest Ioue Faire Venus sonne that with thy cruell dart At that good knight so cunningly didst roue That glorious fire it kindled in his hart Lay now thy deadly Heben bow apart And with thy mother milde come to mine ayde Come both and with you bring triumphant Mart In loues and gentle iollities arrayd After his murdrous spoiles and bloudy rage allayd And with them eke ô Goddesse heauenly bright Mirrour of grace and Maiestie diuine Great Lady of the greatest Isle whose light Like Phoebus lampe throughout the world doth shine Shed thy faire beames into my feeble eyne And raise my thoughts too humble and too vile To thinke of that true glorious type of thine The argument of mine afflicted stile The which to heare vouchsafe ô dearest dred a-while Canto I. The Patron of true Holinesse Foule Errour doth defeate Hypocrisie him to entrape Doth to his home entreate A Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine Y cladd in mightie armes and siluer shielde Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine The cruell markes of many ' a bloudy fielde Yet armes till that time did he neuer wield His angry steede did chide his foming bitt As much disdayning to the curbe to yield Full iolly knight he seemd and faire did sitt As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt But on his brest a bloudie Crosse he bore The deare remembrance of his dying Lord For whose sweete sake that glorious badge he wore And dead as liuing euer him ador'd Vpon his shield the like was also scor'd For soueraine hope which in his helpe he had Right faithfull true he was in deede and word But of his cheere did seeme too solemne sad Yet nothing did he dread but euer was ydrad Vpon a great aduenture he was bond That greatest Gloriana to him gaue That greatest Glorious Queene of Faerie lond To winne him worship and her grace to haue Which of all earthly things he most did craue And euer as he rode his hart did earne To proue his puissance in battell braue Vpon his foe and his new force to learne Vpon his foe a Dragon horrible and stearne A louely Ladie rode him faire beside Vpon a lowly Asse more white then snow Yet she much whiter but the same did hide Vnder a vele that wimpled was full low And ouer all a blacke stole she did throw As one that inly mournd so was she sad And heauie fat vpon her palfrey slow Seemed in heart some hidden care she had And by her in a line a milke white lambe she lad So pure an innocent as that same lambe She was in life and euery vertuous lore And by descent from Royall lynage came Of ancient Kings and Queenes that had of yore Their scepters stretcht from East to Westerne shore And all the world in their subiection held Till that infernall feend with foule vprore Forwasted all their land and them expeld Whom to auenge she had this Knight from far cōpeld Behind her farre away a Dwarfe did lag That lasie seemd in being euer last Or wearied with bearing of her bag Of needments at his backe Thus as they past The day with cloudes was suddeine ouercast And angry Ioue an hideous storme of raine Did poure into his Lemans lap so fast That euery wight to shrowd it did constrain And this faire couple eke to shroud thēselues were fain Enforst to seeke some couert nigh at hand A shadie groue not far away they spide That promist ayde the tempest to withstand Whose loftie trees yclad with sommers pride Did spred so broad that heauens light did hide Not perceable with power of any starre And all within were pathes and alleies wide With footing worne and leading inward farre Faire harbour that them seemes so in they entred arre And foorth they passe with pleasure forward led Ioying to heare the birdes sweete harmony Which therein shrouded from the tempest dred Seemd in their song to scorne the cruell sky Much can they prayse the trees so straight and hy The sayling Pine the Cedar proud and tall The vine-prop Elme the Poplar neuer dry The builder Oake sole king of forrests all The Aspine good for staues the Cypresse funerall The Laurell meed of mightie Conquerours And Poets sage the Firre that weepeth still The Willow worne of forlorne Paramours The Eugh obedient to the benders will The Birch for shaftes the Sallow for the mill The Mirrhe sweete bleeding in the bitter wound The warlike Beech the Ash for nothing ill The fruitfull Oliue and the Platane round The caruer Holme the Maple seeldom inward sound Led with delight they thus beguile the way Vntill the blustring storme is ouerblowne When weening to returne whence they did stray The cannot finde that path which first was showne But wander too and fro in wayes vnknowne Furthest from end then when they neerest weene That makes them doubt their wits be not their owne So many pathes so many turnings seene That which of them to take in diuerse doubt they been At last resoluing forward still to fare Till that some end they finde or in or out That path they take that beaten seemd most bare And like to lead the labyrinth about Which when by tract they hunted had throughout At length it brought them to a hollow caue Amid the thickest woods The Champion stout Eftsoones dismounted from his courser braue And to the Dwarfe a while his needlesse spere he gaue Be well aware quoth then that Ladie milde Least suddaine mischiefe ye too rash prouoke The danger hid the place vnknowne
did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd And thrise he her reviu'd with busie paine At last when life recouer'd had the raine And ouer-wrestled his strong enemie With foltring tong and trembling euery vaine Tell on quoth she the wofull Tragedie The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eie Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight And thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost dart Thy sad tongue cannot tell more heauy plight Then that I feele and harbour in mine hart Who hath endur'd the whole can beare each 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 If lesse then that I feare more fauour I haue found Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare The subtill traines of Archimago old The wanton loues of false Fidessa faire Bought with the bloud of vanquisht Paynim bold The wretched payre transform'd to treen mould The house of Pride and perils round about The combat which he with Sansioy did hould The lucklesse conflict with the Gyant stout Wherein captiu'd of life or death 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 lay For greater loue the greater is the losse Was neuer Ladie loued dearer day Then she did loue the knight of the Redcrosse For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse At last when feruent sorrow slaked was She vp arose resoluing him to find A liue or dead and forward forth doth pas All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd And euermore in constant care full mind She fed her wound with fresh renewed bale Long tost with stormes and bet with bitter wind High ouer hils and low adowne the dale She wandred many a wood and measurd many a vale At last she chaunced by good hap to meet A goodly knight faire marching by the way Together with his Squire arayed meet His glitterand armour shined farre away Like glauncing light of Phoebus brightest ray From top to toe no place appeared bare That deadly dint of steele endanger may Athwart his brest a bauldrick braue he ware That shynd like twinkling stars with stons most pretious rare And in the midst thereof one pretious stone Of wondrous worth and eke of wondrous mights Shapt like a Ladies head exceeding shone Like Hesperus emongst the lesser lights And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong In yuory sheath ycaru'd with curious slights Whose hilts were burnisht gold and handle strong Of mother pearle and buckled with a golden tong His haughtie helmet horrid all with gold Both glorious brightnesse and great terrour bred For all the crest a Dragon did enfold With greedie pawes and ouer all did spred His golden wings his dreadfull hideous hed Close couched on the beuer seem'd to throw From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red That suddeine horror to faint harts did show And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low Vpon the top of all his loftie crest A bunch of haires discolourd diuersly With sprincled pearle and gold full richly drest Did shake and seem'd to daunce for iollity Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene Selinis all alone With blossomes braue bedecked daintily Whos 's tender locks do tremble euery one At euery little breath that vnder heauen is blowne His warlike shield all closely couer'd was Ne might of mortall eye be euer seene Not made of steele nor of enduring bras Such earthlymettals soone consumed bene But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was one massie 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 faint As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint No magicke arts hereof had any might Nor bloudie 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 seeme 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 Faerie 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 harmefull head thrice 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 bit Who vnder him did trample as the aire And chauft that any on his backe should sit The yron rowels into frothy some he bit When as this knight nigh to the Ladie drew With louely court he gan her entertaine But when he heard her answeres 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 humour fitting purpose faine To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray Wherewith emmou'd these bleeding words she gan to say What worlds delight or ioy of lining speach Can heart so plung'd in sea of sorrowes deepe And heaped with so huge misfortunes reach The carefull cold beginneth for to creepe And in my heart his yron arrow steepe Soone as I thinke vpon my bitter bale Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keepe Then rip vp griefe where it may not auaile My last left comfort is my woes to weepe and waile Ah Ladie deare quoth then the gentle knight Well may I weene your griefe is wondrous great For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat But wofull Ladie let me you intrete For to vnfold the anguish of your hart Mishaps are maistred by aduice discrete And counsell mittigates the greatest smart Found neuer helpe who neuer would his hurts impart O but quoth she great griefe will not be tould And can more easily be thought then said Right so quoth he but he that neuer would Could neuer will to might giues greatest
teeth out of her rotten gummes were feld And her sowre breath abhominably smeld Her dried dugs like bladders lacking wind Hong downe and filthy matter from them weld 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 chaster 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 wayes vnknowne She flying fast from heauens hated face And from the world that her discouered wide Fled to the wastfull wildernesse apace From liuing eyes her open shame to hide And lurket 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 found of all that dainty was and rare Cant. IX His loues and lignage Arthur tells The knights knit friendly bands Sir Treuisan flies from Despayre Whom Redcrosse knight withstands O Goodly golden chaine wherewith yfere The vertues linked are in louely wize And noble minds of yore allyed were In braue poursuit of cheualrous emprize That none did others safety despize Nor aid enuy to him in need that stands But friendly each did others prayse deuize How to aduaunce with fauourable hands As this good Prince redeemd the Redcrosse knight from bands Who when their powres empaird through labour long With dew repast they had recured well And that weake captiue wight now wexed s trong 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 thanklesse thought Faire virgin said the Prince ye me require A thing without the compas of my wit For both the lignage and the certain Sire From which I sprong from me are hidden yit For all so soone as life did me admit Into this world and shewed heauens light From mothers pap I taken was vnfit And streight deliuered to a Faery knight To be vpbrought in gentle thewes and martiall might Vnto old Timon he me brought by liue 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 billowes rolls with gentle rore There all my dayes he traind me vp in vertuous lore Thither the great Magicien Merlin came As was his vse ofttimes to visit me For he had charge my discipline to frame And Tutours nouriture to ouersee Him oft and oft I askt in priuitie 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 terme the truth to light should bring Well worthy impe said then the Lady gent And Pupili fit for such a Tutours hand But what aduenture or what high intent Hath brought you hither into Faery land Aread Prince Arthur crowne of Martiall band Full hard it is quoth he to read aright The course of heauenly cause or vnderstand The secret meaning or th' eternall might That rules mens wayes and rules the thoughts of liuing wight For whither he through fatall 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 hither brought by wayes yet neuer found You to haue helpt I hold my selfe yet blest Ah curteous 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 do lye in ashes low Yet sithens silence lesseneth not my fire But told it flames and hidden it does glow I will reuele what ye so much desire Ah Loue lay downe thy bow the whiles I may respire It was in freshest flowre of youthly yeares When courage first does creepe in manly chest Then first the coale of kindly heat appeares To kindle loue in euery liuing brest But me had warnd old Timons wise behest Those creeping flames by reason to subdew Before their rage grew to so great vnrest As miserable louers vse to rew Which still wex old in woe whiles woe still wexeth new That idle name of loue and louers life As losse of time and vertues enimy I euer scornd and ioyd to stirre vp strife In middest of their mournfull Tragedy Ay wont to laugh when them I heard to cry And blow the fire which them to ashes brent Their God himselfe grieu'd at my libertie Shot many a dart at me with fiers intent But I them warded all with wary gouernment But all in vaine no fort can be so strong Ne fleshly brest can armed be so sound But will at last be wonne with battrie long Orvnwares at disauantage found Nothing is sure that growes on earthly ground And who most trustes in arme of fleshly might And boasts in beauties chaine not to be bound Doth soonest fall in disauentrous fight And yeeldes his caytiue neck to victours most despight Ensample make of him your haplesse ioy And of my selfe now mated as ye see Whose prouder vaunt that proud auenging boy Did soone pluck downe and curbd my libertie For on a day prickt forth with iollitie Of looser life and heat of hardiment Raunging the forest wide on courserfree The fields the floods the heauens with one consent Did seeme to laugh at me and fauour mine intent For-wearied with my sports I did alight From loftie steed and downe to sleepe me layd The verdant gras my couch did goodly dight And pillow was my helmet faire displayd Whiles euery sence the humour sweet embayd And slombring soft my hart did steale away Me seemed by my side a royall Mayd Her daintie limbes full softly down did lay So faire a creature yet saw neuer sunny day Most goodly glee and louely blandishment She to me made and bad me loue her deare For dearely sure her loue was to me bent As
when iust time expired should appeare But whether dreames delude or true it were Was neuer hart so rauisht with delight Ne liuing man like words did euer heare As she to me deliuered all that night And at her parting said She Queene of Faeries hight When I awoke and found her place deuoyd And nought but pressed gras where she had lyen I sorrowed all so much as earst I ioyd And washed all her place with watry eyen From that day forth I lou'd that face diuine From that day forth I cast in carefull mind To seeke her out with labour and long tyne And neuer vow to rest till her I find Nine monethes I seeke in vaine yet ni'll that vow vnbind Thus as he spake his visage wexed pale And chaunge of hew great passion did bewray Yet still he stroue to cloke his inward bale And hide the smoke that did his fire display Till gentle Vna thus to him gan say O happy Queene of Faeries that hast found Mongst many one that with his prowesse may Defend thine honour and thy foes confound True Loues are oftē sown but seldom grow on ground Thine O then said the gentle Redcrosse knight Next to that Ladies loue shal be the place O fairest virgin full of heauenly light Whose wondrous faith exceeding earthly race Was firmest fixt in mine extremest case And you my Lord the Patrone of my life Of that great Queene may well gaine worthy grace For onely worthy you through prowes priefe Yf liuing man mote worthy be to be her liefe So diuersly discoursing of their loues The golden Sunne his glistring head gan shew And sad remembraunce now the Prince amoues With fresh desire his voyage to pursew Al 's Vna earnd her traueill to renew Then those two knights fast friendship for to bynd And loue establish each to other trew Gaue goodly gifts the signes of gratefull mynd And eke the pledges firme right hands together ioynd Prince Arthur gaue a boxe of Diamond sure Embowd with gold and gorgeous ornament Wherein were closd few drops of liquor pure Of wondrous worth and vertue excellent That any wound could heale incontinent Which to requite the Redcrosse knight him gaue A booke wherein his Saueours testament Was writ with golden letters rich and braue A worke of wondrous grace and able soules to saue Thus beene they parted Arthur on his way To seeke his loue and th' other for to fight With Vnaes foe that all her realme did pray But she now weighing the decayed plight And shrunken synewes of her chosen knight Would not a while her forward course pursew Ne bring him forth in face of dreadfull fight Till he recouered had his former hew For him to be yet weake and wearie well she knew So as they traueild lo they gan espy An armed knight towards them gallop fast That seemed from some feared foe to fly Or other griesly thing that him agast Still as he fled his eye was backward cast As if his feare still followed him behind Al 's flew his steed as he his bands had brast And with his winged heeles did tread the wind As he had beene a fole of Pegasus his kind Nigh as he drew they might perceiue his head To be vnarmd and curld vncombed heares Vpstaring stiffe dismayd with vncouth dread Nor drop of bloud in all his face appeares Nor life in limbe and to increase his feares In fowle reproch of knighthoods faire degree About his neck an hempen rope he weares That with his glistring armes does ill agree But he of rope or armes has now no memoree The Redcrosse knight toward him crossed fast To weet what mister wight was so dismayd There him he finds all sencelesse and aghast That of him selfe he seemd to be afrayd Whom hardly he from flying forward stayd Till he these wordes to him deliuer might Sir knight aread who hath ye thus arayd And eke from whom make ye this hasty flight For neuer knight I saw in such misseeming plight He answerd nought at all but adding new Feare to his first amazment staring wide With stony eyes and hartlesse hollow hew Astonisht stood as one that had aspide Infernall furies with their chaines vntide Him yet againe and yet againe bespake The gentle knight who nought to him replide But trembling euery ioynt did inly quake And foltring tongue at last these words seemd forth to shake For Gods deare loue Sir knight do me not stay For loe he comes he comes fast after mee Eft looking backe would faine haue runne away But he him forst to stay and tellen free The secret cause of his perplexitie Yet nathemore by his bold hartie speach Could his bloud-frosen hart emboldned bee But through his boldnesse rather feare did reach Yet forst at last he made through silence suddein breach And am I now in safetie sure quoth he From him that would haue forced me to dye And is the point of death now turnd fro mee That I may tell this haplesse history Feare nought quoth he no daunger now is nye Then shall I you recount a ruefull cace Said he the which with this vnlucky eye I late beheld and had not greater grace Me reft from it had bene partaker of the place I lately chaunst Would I had neuer chaunst With a faire knight to keepen companee Sir Terwin hight that well himselfe aduaunst In all affaires and was both bold and free But not so happie as mote happie bee He lou'd as was his lot a Ladie gent That him againe lou'd in the least degree For she was proud and of too high intent And ioyd to see her louer languish and lament From whom returning sad and comfortlesse As on the way together we did fare We met that villen God from him me blesse That cursed wight from whom I scapt whyleare A man of hell that cals himselfe Despaire Who first vs greets and after faire areedes Of tydings strange and of aduentures rare So creeping close as Snake in hidden weedes Inquireth of our states and of our knightly deedes Which when he knew and felt our feeble harts Embost with bale and bitter byting griefe Which loue had launched with his deadly darts With wounding words and termes of foule repriefe He pluckt from vs all hope of due reliefe That earst vs held in loue of lingring life Then hopelesse hartlesse gan the cunning thiefe Perswade vs die to stint all further strife To me he lent this rope to him a rustie knife With which sad instrument of hastie death That wofull louer loathing lenger light A wide way made to let forth liuing breath But I more fearefull or more luckie wight Dismayd with that deformed dismall sight Fled fast away halfe dead with dying feare Ne yet assur'd of life by you Sir knight Whose like infirmitie like chaunce may beare But God you neuer let his charmed speeches heare How may a man said he with idle speach Be wonne to spoyle the Castle of his health I wote quoth he whom
Gan smyle on them that rather ought to weepe As carelesse of his woe or innocent Of that was doen that ruth emperced deepe In that knights heart and wordes with bitter teares did steepe Ah lucklesse babe borne vnder cruell starre And in dead parents balefull ashes bred Full litle weenest thou what sorrowes are Left thee for portion of thy liuelihed Poore Orphane in the wide world scattered As budding braunch rent from the natiue tree And throwen forth till it be withered Such is the state of men thus enter wee Into this life with woe and end with miseree Then soft himselfe inclyning on his knee Downe to that well did in the water weene So loue does loath disdainfull nicitee His guiltie hands from bloudie gore to cleene He washt them oft and oft yet nought they beene For all his washing cleaner Still he stroue Yet still the litle hands were bloudie seene The which him into great amaz'ment droue And into diuerse doubt his wauering wonder cloue He wist not whether blot of foule offence Might not be purgd with water nor with bath Or that high God in lieu of innocence Imprinted had that token of his wrath To shew how sore bloudguiltinesse he hat'th Or that the charme and venim which they druncke Their bloud with secret filth infected hath Being diffused through the senselesse truncke That through the great contagion direfull deadly stunck Whom thus at gaze the Palmer gan to bord With goodly reason and thus faire bespake Ye bene right hard amated gratious Lord And of your ignorance great maruell make Whiles cause not well conceiued ye mistake But know that secret vertues are infusd In euery fountaine and in euery lake Which who hath skill them rightly to haue chusd To proofe of passing wonders hath full often vsd Of those some were so from their sourse indewd By great Dame Nature from whose fruitfull pap Their welheads spring and are with moisture deawd Which feedes each liuing plant with liquid sap And filles with flowres faire Floraes painted lap But other some by gift of later grace Or by good prayers or by other hap Had vertue pourd into their waters bace And thenceforth were renowmd sought from place to place Such is this well wrought by occasion straunge Which to her Nymph befell Vpon a day As she the woods with bow and shafts did raunge The hartlesse Hind and Robucke to dismay Dan Faunus chaunst to meet her by the way And kindling fire at her faire burning eye Inflamed was to follow beauties chace And chaced her that fast from him did fly As Hind from her so she fled from her enimy At last when fayling breath began to faint And saw no meanes to scape of shame affrayd She set her downe to weepe for sore constraint And to Diana calling lowd for ayde Her deare besought to let her dye a mayd The goddesse heard and suddeine where she sate Welling out streames of teares and quite dismayd With stony feare of that rude rustick mate Transformd her to a stone from stedfast virgins state Lo now she is that stone from those two heads As from two weeping eyes fresh streames do flow Yet cold through feare and old conceiued dreads And yet the stone her semblance seâ—mes to show Shapt like a maid that such ye may her know And yet her vertues in her water byde For it is chast and pure as purest snow Ne lets her waues with any filth he dyde But euer like her selfe vnstained hath beene tryde From thence it comes that this babes bloudy hand May not be clensd with water of this well Ne certes Sir striue you it to withstand But let them still be bloudy as befell That they his mothers innocence may tell As she bequeathd in her last testament That as a sacred Symbole it may dwell In her sonnes flesh to minde reuengement And be for all chast Dames an endlesse moniment He hearkned to his reason and the childe Vptaking to the Palmer gaue to beare But his sad fathers armes with blond defilde An heauie load himselfe did lightly reare And turning to that place in which whyleare He left his loftie steed with golden sell And goodly gorgeous barbes him found not theare By other accident that earst befell He is conuaide but how or where here fits not tell Which when Sir Guyon saw all were he wroth Yet algates mote he soft himselfe appease And fairely fare on foot how euer loth His double burden did him sore disease So long they traueiled with litle ease Till that at last they to a Castle came Built on a rocke adioyning to the seas It was an auncient worke of antique fame And wondrous strong by nature and by skilfull frame Therein three sisters dwelt of sundry sort The children of one sire by mothers three Who dying whylome did diuide this fort To them by equall shares in equall fee But strifull minde and diuerse qualitee Drew them in parts and each made others foe Still did they striue and dayly disagree The eldest did against the youngest goe And both against the middest meant to worken woe Where when the knight arriu'd he was right well Receiu'd as knight of so much worth became Of second sister who did far excell The other two Medina was her name A sober sad and comely curteous Dame Who rich arayd and yet in modest guize In goodly garments that her well became Faire marching forth in honorable wize Him at the threshold met and well did enterprize She led him vp into a goodly bowre And comely courted with meet modestie Ne in her speach ne in her hauiour Was lightnesse seene or looser vanitie But gratious womanhood and grauitie Aboue the reason of her youthly yeares Her golden lockes she roundly did vptye In breaded tramels that no looser heares Did out of order stray about her daintie eares Whilest she her selfe thus busily did frame Seemely to entertaine her new-come guest Newes hereof to her other sisters came Who all this while were at their wanton rest Accourting each her friend with lauish fest They were two knights of perelesse puissance And famous far abroad for warlike gest Which to these Ladies loue did countenaunce And to his mistresse each himselfe stroue to aduaunce He that made loue vnto the eldest Dame Was hight Sir Huddibras an hardy man Yet not so good of deedes as great of name Which he by many rash aduentures wan Since errant armes to sew he first began More huge in strength then wise in workes he was And reason with foole-hardize ouer ran Sterne melancholy did his courage pas And was for terrour more all armd in shyning bras But he that lou'd the youngest was Sans-loy He that faire Vna late fowle outraged The most vnruly and the boldest boy That euer warlike weapons menaged And to all lawlesse lust encouraged Through strong opinion of his matchlesse might Ne ought he car'd whom he endamaged By tortious wrong or whom bereau'd of right He now this Ladies champion
rayling and foule reuilement But still prouokt her sonne to wreake her wrong But nathelesse he did her still torment And catching hold of her vngratious tong Thereon an yron lock did fasten firme and strong Then when as vse of speach was from her reft With her two crooked handes she signes did make And beckned him the last helpe she had left But he that last left helpe away did take And both her hands fast bound vnto a stake That she note stirre Then gan her sonne to flie Full fast away and did her quite forsake But Guyon after him in haste did hie And soone him ouertooke in sad perplexitie In his strong armes he stiffely him embraste Who him gainstriuing nought at all preuaild For all his power was vtterly defaste And furious fits at earst quite weren quaild Oft he re'nforst and oft his forces fayld Yet yield he would not nor his rancour slacke Then him to ground he cast and rudely hayld And both his hands fast bound behind his backe And both his feet in fetters to an yron racke With hundred yron chaines he did him bind And hundred knots that did him sore constraine Yet his great yron teeth he still did grind And grimly gnash threatning reuenge in vaine His burning eyen whom bloudie strakes did staine Stared full wide and threw forth sparkes of fire And more for ranck despight then for great paine Shakt his long lockes colourd like copper-wire And bit his tawny beard to shew his raging ire Thus when as Guyon Furor had captiu'd Turning about he saw that wretched Squire Whom that mad man of life nigh late depriu'd Lying on ground all soild with bloud and mire Whom when as he perceiued to respire He gan to comfort and his wounds to dresse Being at last recured he gan inquire What hard mishap him brought to such distresse And made that caitiues thral the thral of wretchednesse With hart then throbbing and with watry eyes Faire Sir quoth he what man can shun the hap That hidden lyes vnwares him to surpryse Misfortune waites aduantage to entrap The man most warie in her whelming lap So me weake wretch of many weakest one Vnweeting and vnware of such mishap She brought to mischiefe through occasion Where this same wicked villein did me light vpon It was a faithlesse Squire that was the sourse Of all my sorrow and of these sad teares With whom from tender dug of commune nourse Attonce I was vpbrought and eft when yeares More rype vs reason lent to chose our Peares Our selues in league of vowed loue we knit In which we long time without gealous feares Or faultie thoughts continewd as was fit And for my part I vow dissembled not a whit Is was my fortune commune to that age To loue a Ladie faire of great degree The which was borne of noble parentage And set in highest seat of dignitee Yet seemd no lesse to loue then loued to bee Long I her seru'd and found her faithfull still Ne euer thing could cause vs disagree Loue that two harts makes one makes eke one will Each stroue to please and others pleasure to fulfill My friend hight Philemon I did partake Of all my loue and all my priuitie Who greatly ioyous seemed for my sake And gratious to that Ladie as to mee Ne euer wight that mote so welcome bee As he to her withouten blot or blame Ne euer thing that she could thinke or see But vnto him she would impart the same O wretched man that would abuse so gentle Dame At last such grace I found and meanes I wrought That I that Ladie to my spouse had wonne Accord of friends consent of parents sought Affiance made my happinesse begonne There wanted nought but few rites to be donne Which mariage make that day too farre did seeme Most ioyous man on whom the shining Sunne Did shew his face my selfe I did esteeme And that my falser friend did no lesse ioyous deeme But ere that wished day his beame disclosd He either enuying my toward good Or of himselfe to treason ill disposd One day vnto me came in friendly mood And told for secret how he vnderstood That Ladie whom I had to me assynd Had both distaind her honorable blood And eke the faith which she to me did bynd And therfore wisht me stay till I more truth should fynd The gnawing anguish and sharpe gelosy Which his sad speech infixed in my brest Ranckled so sore and festred inwardly That my engreeued mind could find no rest Till that the truth thereof I did outwrest And him besought by that same sacred band Betwixt vs both to counsell me the best He then with solemne oath and plighted hand Assur'd ere long the truth to let me vnderstand Ere long with like againe he boorded mee Saying he now had boulted all the floure And that it was a groome of base degree Which of my loue was partner Paramoure Who vsed in a darkesome inner bowre Her oft to meet which better to approue He promised to bring me at that howre When I should see that would me nearer moue And driue me to withdraw my blind abused loue This gracelesse man for furtherance of his guile Did court the handmayd of my Lady deare Who glad t'embosome his affection vile Did all she might more pleasing to appeare One day to worke her to his will more neare He woo'd her thus Pryene so she hight What great despight doth fortune to thee beare Thus lowly to abase thy beautie bright That it should not deface all others lesser light But if she had her least helpe to thee lent T' adorne thy forme according thy desart Their blazing pride thou wouldest soone haue blent And staynd their prayses with thy least good part Ne should faire Claribell with all her art Though she thy Lady be approch thee neare For proofe thereof this euening as thou art Aray thy selfe in her most gorgeous geare That I may more delight in thy embracement deare The Maidē proud through prayse and mad through loue Him hearkned to and soone her selfe arayd The whiles to me the treachour did remoue His craftie engin and as he had sayd Me leading in a secret corner layd The sad spectatour of my Tragedie Where left he went and his owne false part playd Disguised like that groome of base degree Whom he had feignd th' abuser of my loue to bee Eftsoones he came vnto th' appointed place And with him brought Priene rich arayd In Claribellaes clothes Her proper face I not descerned in that darkesome shade But weend it was my loue with whom he playd Ah God what horrour and tormenting griefe My hart my hands mine eyes and all assayd Me liefer were ten thousand deathes priefe Then wound of gealous worme and shame of such repriefe I home returning fraught with fowle despight And chawing vengeance all the way I went Soone as my loathed loue appeard in sight With wrathfull hand I slew her innocent That after soone I dearely did lament For
all his head vnto the bone Wherewith astonisht still he stood as senselesse stone Still as he stood faire Phaedria that beheld That deadly daunger soone atweene them ran And at their feet her selfe most humbly feld Crying with pitteous voice and count'nance wan Ah well away most noble Lords how can Your cruell eyes endure so pitteous sight To shed your liues on ground wo worth the man That first did teach the oursed steele to bight In his owne flesh and make way to the liuing spright If euer loue of Ladie did empierce Your yron brestes or pittie could find place Withhold your bloudie hands from battell fierce And sith for me ye fight to me this grace Both yeeld to stay your deadly strife a space They stayd a while and forth she gan proceed Most wretched woman and of wicked race That am the author of this hainous deed And cause of death betweene two doughtie knights doe breed But if for me ye fight or me will serue Not this rude kind of battell nor these armes Are meet the which doe men in bale to sterue And dolefull sorrow heape with deadly harmes Such cruell game my scarmoges disarmes Another warre and other weapons I Doe loue where loue does giue his sweet alarmes Without bloudshed and where the enemy Does yeeld vnto his foe a pleasant victory Debatefull strife and cruell enmitie The famous name of knighthood fowly shent But louely peace and gentle amitie And in Amours the passing houres to spend The mightie martiall hands doe most commend Of loue they euer greater glory bore Then of their armes Mars is Cupidoes frend And is for Venus loues renowmed more Then all his wars and spoiles the which he did of yore Therewith she sweetly smyld They though full bent To proue extremities of bloudie fight Yet at her speach their rages gan relent And calme the sea of their tempestuous spight Such powre haue pleasing words such is the might Of courteous clemencie in gentle hart Now after all was ceast the Faery knight Besought that Damzell suffer him depart And yield him readie passage to that other part She no lesse glad then he desirous was Of his departure thence for of her ioy And vaine delight she saw he light did pas A foe of folly and immodest toy Still solemne sad or still disdainfull coy Delighting all in armes and cruell warre That her sweet peace and pleasures did annoy Troubled with terrour and vnquiet iarre That she well pleased was thence to amoue him farre Tho him she brought abord and her swift bote Forthwith directed to that further strand The which on the dull waues did lightly flote And soone arriued on the shallow sand Where gladsome Guyon salied forth to land And to that Damzell thankes gaue for reward Vpon that shore he spied Atin stand Thereby his maister left when late he far'd In Phadrias flit barke ouer that perlous shard Well could he him remember sith of late He with Pyrrhochles sharp debatement made Streight gan he him reuile and bitter rate As shepheards curre that in darke euenings shade Hath tracted forth some saluage beastes trade Vile Miscreant said he whither doest thou flie The shame and death which will thee soone inuade What coward hand shall doe thee next to die That art thus foully fled from famous enemie With that he stiffely shooke his steelehead dart But sober Guyon hearing him so raile Though somewhat moued in his mightie hart Yet with strong reason maistred passion fraile And passed fairely forth He turning taile Backe to the strond retyrd and there still stayd Awaiting passage which him late did faile The whiles Cymochles with that wanton mayd The hastie heat of his auowd reuenge delayd Whylest there the varlet stood he saw from farre An armed knight that towards him fast ran He ran on foot as if in lucklesse warre His forlorne steed from him the victourwan He seemed breathlesse hartlesse faint and wan And all his armour sprinckled was with bloud And soyld with durtie gore that no man can Discerne the hew thereof He neuer stood But bent his hastie course towards the idle flood The varlet saw when to the flood he came How without stop or stay he fiercely lept And deepe him selfe beduked in the same That in the lake his loftie crest was steept Ne of his safetie seemed care he kept But with his raging armes he rudely flasht The waues about and all his armour swept That all the bloud and filth away was washt Yet still he bet the water and the billowes dasht Atin drew nigh to weet what it mote bee For much he wondred at that vncouth sight Whom should he but his owne deare Lord there see His owne deare Lord Pyrrhochles in sad plight Readie to drowne himselfe for fell despight Harrow now out and well away he cryde What dismall day hath lent this cursed light To see my Lord so deadly damnifyde Pyrrhochles ô Pyrrhochles what is thee betyde I burne I burne I burne then loud he cryde O how I burne with implacable fire Yet nought can quench mine inly flaming syde Nor sea of licour cold nor lake of mire Nothing but death can doe me to respire Ah be it said he from Pyrrhochles farre After pursewing death once to require Or think that ought those puissant hands may marre Death is for wretches borne vnder vnhappie starre Perdie then is it fit for me said he That am I weene most wretched man aliue But in flames yet no flames can I see And dying daily daily yet reuiue O Atin helpe to me last death to giue The varlet at his plaint was grieued so sore That his deepe wounded hart in two did riue And his owne health remembring now no more Did follow that ensample which he blam'd afore Into the lake he lept his Lord to ayd So Loue the dread of daunger doth despise And of him catching hold him strongly stayd From drowning But more happie he then wise Of that seas nature did him not auise The waues thereof so slow and sluggish were Engrost with mud which did them foule agrise That euery weightie thing they did vpbeare Ne ought mote euer sinke downe to the bottome there Whiles thus they strugled in that idle waue And stroue in vaine the one himselfe to drowne The other both from drowning for to saue Lo to that shore one in an auncient gowne Whose hoarie locks great grauitie did crowne Holding in hand a goodly arming sword By fortune came led with the troublous sowne Where drenched deepe he found in that dull ford The carefull seruant striuing with his raging Lord. Him Atin spying knew right well of yore And loudly cald Helpe helpe ô Archimage To saue my Lord in wretched plight forlore Helpe with thy hand or with thy counsell sage Weake hands but counsell is most strong in age Him when the old man saw he wondred sore To see Pyrrhochles there so rudely rage Yet sithens helpe he saw he needed more Then pittie he in hast
with what sleights and sweet allurements she Entyst the Boy as well that art she knew And wooed him her Paramoure to be Now making girlonds of each flowre that grew To crowne his golden lockes with honour dew Now leading him into a secret shade From his Beauperes and from bright heauens vew Where him to sleepe she gently would perswade Or bathe him in a fountaine by some couert glade And whilst he slept she ouer him would spred Her mantle colour'd like the starry skyes And her soft arme lay vnderneath his hed And with ambrosiall kisses bathe his eyes And whilest he bath'd with her two crafty spyes She secretly would search each daintie lim And throw into the well sweet Rosemaryes And fragrant violets and Pances trim And euer with sweet Nectar she did sprinkle him So did she steale his heedelesse hart away And ioyd his loue in secret vnespyde But for she saw him bent to cruell play To hunt the saluage beast in forrest wyde Dreadfull of daunger that mote him betyde She oft and oft aduiz'd him to refraine From chase of greater beasts whose brutish pryde Mote breede him scath vnwares but all in vaine For who can shun the chaunce that dest'ny doth ordaine Lo where beyond he lyeth languishing Deadly engored of a great wild Bore And by his side the Goddesse groueling Makes for him endlesse mone and euermore With her soft garment wipes away the gore Which staines his snowy skin with hatefull hew But when she saw no helpe might him restore Him to a dainty flowre she did transmew Which in that cloth was wrought as if it liuely grew So was that chamber clad in goodly wize And round about it many beds were dight As whilome was the antique worldes guize Some for vntimely ease some for delight As pleased them to vse that vse it might And all was full of Damzels and of Squires Dauncing and reueling both day and night And swimming deepe in sensuall desires And Cupid still emongst them kindled lustfull fires And all the while sweet Musicke did diuide Her looser notes with Lydian harmony And all the while sweet birdes thereto applide Their daintie layes and dulcet melody Ay caroling of loue and iollity That wonder was to heare their trim consort Which when those knights beheld with scornefull eye They sdeigned such lasciuious disport And loath'd the loose demeanure of that wanton sort Thence they were brought to that great Ladies vew Whom they found sitting on a sumptuous bed That glistred all with gold and glorious shew As the proud Persian Queenes accustomed She seemd a woman of great bountihed And of rare beautie sauing that askaunce Her wanton eyes ill signes of womanhed Did roll too highly and too often glaunce Without regard of grace or comely amenaunce Long worke it were and needlesse to deuize Their goodly entertainement and great glee She caused them be led in curteous wize Into a bowre disarmed for to bee And cheared well with wine and spiceree The Redcrosse Knight was soone disarmed there But the braue Mayd would not disarmed bee But onely vented vp her vmbriere And so did let her goodly visage to appere As when faire Cynthia in darke some night Is in a noyous cloud enueloped Where she may find the substaunce thin and light Breakes forth her siluer beames and her bright hed Discouers to the world discomfited Of the poore traueller that went astray With thousand blessings she is heried Such was the beautie and the shining ray With which faire Britomart gaue light vnto the day And eke those six which lately with her fought Now were disarmd and did them selues present Vnto her vew and company vnsoght For they all seemed curteous and gent And all sixe brethren borne of one parent Which had them traynd in all ciuilitee And goodly taught to tilt and turnament Now were they liegemen to this Lady free And her knights seruice ought to hold of her in fee. The first of them by name Gardante hight Aiolly person and of comely vew The second was Parlante a bold knight And next to him Iocante did ensew Basciante did him selfe most curteous shew But fierce Bacchante seemd too fell and keene And yet in amies Noctante greater grew All were faire knights and goodly well beseene But to faire Britomart they all but shadowes beene For she was full of amiable grace And manly terrour mixed therewithall That as the one stird vp affections bace So th' other did mens rash desires apall And hold them backe that would in errour fall As he that hath espide a vermeill Rose To which sharpe thornes and breres the way forstall Dare not for dread his hardy hand expose But wishing it far off his idle wish doth lose Whom when the Lady saw so faire a wight All ignoraunt of her contrary sex For she her weend a fresh and lusty knight She greatly gan enamoured to wex And with vaine thoughts her falsed fancy vex Her fickle hart conceiued hasty fire Like sparkes of fire which fall in sclender flex That shortly brent into extreme desire And ransackt all her veines with passion entire Eftsoones she grew to great impatience And into termes of open outrage brust That plaine discouered her incontinence Ne reckt she who her meaning did mistrust For she was giuen all to fleshly lust And poured forth in sensuall delight That all regard of shame she had discust And meet respect of honour put to flight So shamelesse beauty soone becomes a loathy sight Faire Ladies that to loue captiued arre And chaste desires do nourish in your mind Let not her fault your sweet affections marre Ne blot the bounty of all womankind Mongst thousands good one wanton Dame to find Emongst the Roses grow some wicked weeds For this was not to loue but lust inclind For loue does alwayes bring forth bounteous deeds And in each gentle hart desire of honour breeds Nought so of loue this looser Dame did skill But as a coale to kindle fleshly flame Giuing the bridle to her wanton will And treading vnder foote her honest name Such loue is hate and such desire is shame Still did she roue at her with crafty glaunce Of her false eyes that at her hart did ayme And told her meaning in her countenaunce But Britomart dissembled it with ignoraunce Supper was shortly dight and downe they sat Where they were serued with all sumptuous fare Whiles fruitfull Ceres and Lyaeus sat Pourd out their plenty without spight or spare Nought wanted there that dainty was and rare And aye the cups their bancks did ouerflow And aye betweene the cups she did prepare Way to her loue and secret darts did throw But Britomart would not such guilfull message know So when they slaked had the feruent heat Of appetite with meates of euery sort The Lady did faire Britomart entreat Her to disarme and with delightfull sport To loose her warlike limbs and strong effort But when she mote not thereunto be wonne For she her sexe vnder
sith they warlike armes haue layd away They haue exceld in artes and pollicy That now we foolish men that prayse gin eker'enuy Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent Be thou faire Britomart whose prayse I write But of all wisedome be thou precedent Endite I would as dewtie doth excite But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre When in so high an obiect they do lite And striuing fit to make I feare do marre Thy selfe thy prayses tell and make them knowen farre She trauelling with Guyon by the way Of sundry things faire purpose gan to find T'abridg their iourney long and lingring day Mongst which it fell into that Faeries mind To aske this Briton Mayd what vncouth wind Made her dissemble her disguised kind Faire Lady she him seemd like Lady drest But fairest knight aliue when armed washer brest Thereat she sighing softly had no powre To speake a while ne ready answere make But with hart-thrilling throbs and bitter stowre As if she had a feuer fit did quake And euery daintie limbe with horrour shake And euer and anone the rosy red Flasht through her face as it had beene a flake Oflightning through bright heauen fulmined At last the passion past she thus him answered Faire Sir I let you weete that from the howre I taken was from nourses tender pap I haue beene trained vp in warlike stowre To tossen speare and shield and to affrap The warlike ryder to his most mishap Sithence I loathed haue my life to lead As Ladies wont in pleasures wanton lap To finger the fine needle and nyce thread Me leuer were with point of foemans speare be dead All my delights deedes of armes is set To hunt out perils and aduentures hard By sea by land where so they may be met Onely for honour and for high regard Without respect of richesse or reward For such intent into these parts I came Withouten compasse or withouten card Far fro my natiue soyle that is by name The greater Britaine here to seeke for prayse and fame Fame blazed hath that here in Faery lond Do many famous Knightes and Ladies wonne And many straunge aduentures to be fond Of which great worth and worship may be wonne Which I to proue this voyage haue begonne But mote I weet of you right curteous knight Tydings of one that hath vnto me donne Late foule dishonour and reprochfull spight The which I seeke to wreake and Arthegall he hight The word gone out she backe againe would call As her repenting so to haue missayd But that he it vp-taking ere the fall Her shortly answered Faire martiall Mayd Certes ye misa uised beene t'vpbrayd A gentle knight with so vnknightly blame For weet ye well of all that euer playd At tilt or tourney or like warlike game The noble Arthegall hath euer borne the name For thy great wonder were it if such shame Should euer enter in his bounteous thought Or euer do that mote deseruen blame The noble courage neuer weeneth ought That may vnworthy of it selfe be thought Therefore faire Damzell be ye well aware Least that too farre ye haue your sorrow sought You and your countrey both I wish welfare And honour both for each of other worthy are The royall Mayd woxe inly wondrous glad To heare her Loue so highly magnifide And ioyd that euer she affixed had Her hart on knight so goodly glorifide How euer finely she it faind to hide The louing mother that nine monethes did beare In the deare closet of her paine full side Her tender babe it seeing safe appeare Doth not so much reioyce as she reioyced theare But to occasion him to further talke To feed her humour with his pleasing stile Her list in strifull termes with him to balke Aud thus replide How euer Sir ye file Your curteous tongue his prayses to compile It ill beseemes a knight of gentle sort Such as ye haue him boasted to beguile A simple mayd and worke so haynous tort In shame of knighthood as I largely can report Let be therefore my vengeaunce to disswade And read where I that faytour false may find Ah but if reason faire might you perswade To slake your wrath and mollifie your mind Said he perhaps ye should it better find For hardy thing it is to weene by might That man to hard conditions to bind Or euer hope to match in equall fight Whose prowesse paragon saw neuer liuing wight Ne soothlich is it easie for to read Where now on earth or how he may be found For he ne wonneth in one certaine stead But restlesse walketh all the world around Ay doing things that to his same redound Defending Ladies cause and Orphans right Where so he heares that any doth confound Them comfortlesse through tyranny or might So is his soueraine honour raisde to heavens hight His feeling words her feeble sence much pleased And softly sunck into her molten hart Hart that is inly hurt is greatly eased With hope of thing that may allegge his smart For pleasing words are like to Magick art That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay Such secret ease felt gentle Britomart Yet list the same efforce with faind gainesay So dischord oft in Musick makes the sweeter lay And said Sir knight these idle termes forbeare And sith it is vneath to find his haunt Tell me some markes by which he may appeare If chaunce I him encounter parauant For perdie one shall other slay or daunt What shape what shield what armes what steed what sted And what so else his person most may vaunt All which the Redcrosse knight to point ared And him in euery part before her fashioned Yet him in euery part before she knew How euer list her now her knowledge faine Sith him whilome in Britaine she did vew To her reuealed in a mirrhour plaine Whereof did grow her first engraffed paine Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did tast That but the fruit more sweetnesse did containe Her wretched dayes in dolour she mote wast And yield the pray of loue to lothsome death at last By strange occasion she did him behold And much more strangely gan to loue his sight As it in bookes hath written bene of old In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight What time king Ryence raign'd and dealed right The great Magitian Merlin had deuiz'd By his deepe science and hell-dreaded might A looking glasse right wondrously aguiz'd Whose vertues through the wyde world soone were solemniz'd It vertue had to shew in perfect sight What euer thing was in the world contaynd Betwixt the lowest earth and heauens hight So that it to the looker appertaynd What euer foe had wrought or frend had faynd Therein discouered was ne ought mote pas Ne ought in secret from the same remaynd For thy it round and hollow shaped was Like to the world it selfe and seem'd a world of glas Who wonders not that reades so wonderous worke But who does wonder that has red the Towre Wherein th' Aegyptian Phaeo long
my hart doth bleed But since thy faithfull zeale lets me not hyde My crime if crime it be I will it reed Nor Prince nor pere it is whose loue hath gryde My feeble brest of late and launched this wound wyde Nor man it is nor other liuing wight For then some hope I might vnto me draw But th' only shade and semblant of a knight Whose shape or person yet I neuer saw Hath me subiected to loues cruell law The same one day as me misfortune led I in my fathers wondrous mirrhour saw And pleased with that seeming goodly-hed Vnwares the hidden hooke with baite I swallowed Sithens it hath infixed faster hold Within my bleeding bowels and so sore Now ranckleth in this same fraile fleshly mould That all mine entrailes flow with poysnous gore And th'vlcer groweth daily more and more Ne can my running sore find remedie Other then my hard fortune to deplore And languish as the leafe falne from the tree Till death make one end of my dayes and miserie Daughter said she what need ye be dismayd Or why make ye such Monster of your mind Of much more vncouth thing I was affrayd Of filthy lust contrarie vnto kind But this affection nothing straunge I find For who with reason can you aye reproue To loue the semblant pleasing most your mind And yield your heart whence ye cannot remoue No guilt in you but in the tyranny of loue Not so th' Arabian Myrrhe did set her mind Not so did Biblis spend her pining hart But lou'd their natiue flesh against all kind And to their purpose vsed wicked art Yet playd Pasiphaë a more mostrous part That lou'd a Bull and learnd a beast to bee Such shamefull lusts who loaths not which depart From course of nature and of modestie Sweet loue such lewdnes bands from his faire companie But thine my Deare welfare thy heart my deare Though strange beginning had yet fixed is On one that worthy may perhaps appeare And certes seemes bestowed not amis Ioy thereof haue thou and eternall blis With that vpleaning on her elbow weake Her alablasted brest she soft did kis Which all that while she felt to pant and quake As it an Earth-quake were at last she thus bespake Beldame your words doe worke me litle ease For though my loue be not so lewdly bent As those ye blame yet may it nought appease My raging smart ne ought my flame relent But rather doth my helpelesse griefe augment For they how euer shamefull and vnkind Yet did possesse their horrible intent Short end of sorrowes they thereby did find So was their fortune good though wicked were their mind But wicked fortune mine though mind be good Can haue no end nor hope of my desire But feed on shadowes whiles I die for food And like a shadow wexe whiles with entire Affection I doe languish and expire I fonder then Cephisus foolish child Who hauing vewed in a fountaine shere His face was with the loue thereof beguild I fonder loue a shade the bodie farre exild Nought like quoth she for that same wretched boy Was of himselfe the idle Paramoure Both loue and louer without hope of ioy For which he faded to a watry flowre But better fortune thine and better howre Which lou'st the shadow of a warlike knight No shadow but a bodie hath in powre That bodie wheresoeuer that it light May learned be by cyphers or by Magicke might But if thou may with reason yet represse The growing euill ere it strength haue got And thee abandond wholly doe possesse Against it strongly striue and yield thee not Till thou in open field adowne be smot But if the passion mayster thy fraile might So that needs loue or death must be thy lot Then I auow to thee by wrong or right To compasse thy desire and find that loued knight Her chearefull words much cheard the feeble spright Of the sicke virgin that her downe she layd In her warme bed to sleepe if that she might And the old-woman carefully displayd The clothes about her round with busie ayd So that at last a little creeping sleepe Surprisd her sense She therewith well apayd The drunken lampe downe in the oyle did steepe And set her by to watch and set her by to weepe Earely the morrow next before that day His ioyous face did to the world reueale They both vprose and tooke their readie way Vnto the Church their prayers to appeale With great deuotion and with litle zeale For the faire Damzell from the holy herse Her loue-sicke hart to other thoughts did steale And that old Dame said many an idle verse Out of her daughters hart fond fancies to reuerse Returned home the royall Infant fell Into her former fit for why no powre Nor guidance of her selfe in her did dwell But th' aged Nurse her calling to her bowre Had gathered Rew and Sauine and the flowre Of Camphara and Calamint and Dill All which she in a earthen Pot did poure And to the brim with Colt wood did it fill And many drops of milke and bloud through it did spill Then taking thrise three haires from off her head Them trebly breaded in a threefold lace And round about the pots mouth bound the thread And after hauing whispered a space Certaine sad words with hollow voice and bace She to the virgin said thrise said she it Come daughter come come spit vpon my face Spit thrise vpon me thrise vpon me spit Th'vneuen number for this businesse is most fit That sayd her round about she from her turnd She turned her contrarie to the Sunne Thrise 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 idle charmes so lightly may remoue That well can witnesse who by triall it does proue Ne ought it mote the noble Mayd auayle Ne slake the furie of her cruell flame But that she still did waste and still did wayle That through long laugour and 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 Artegall And shewes the famous Progeny which from them springen shall MOst sacred fire 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 minds and filthy lust inflame But that sweet fit that doth true beautie loue And choseth vertue for his dearest Dame Whence spring all noble deeds and neuer dying fame Well did Antiquitie a God thee deeme That ouer mortall minds hast so great might To order them as best to thee doth seeme And
saw a Saxon Virgin the which feld Great Vlfin thrise vpon the bloudy plaine And had not Carados her hand withheld From rash reuenge she had him surely slaine Yet Carados himselfe from her escapt with paine Ah read quoth Britomart how is she hight Faire Angela quoth she men do her call No whit lesse faire then terrible in fight She hath the leading of a Martiall And mighty people dreaded more then all The other Saxons which do for her sake And loue themselues of her name Angles call Therefore faire Infant her ensample make Vnto thy selfe and equall courage to thee take Her harty words so deepe into the mynd Of the young Damzell sunke that great desire Of warlike armes in her forthwith they tynd And generous stout courage did inspire That she resolu'd vnmeeting to her Sire Aduent'rous knighthood on her selfe to don And counseld with her Nourse her Maides attire To turne into a massy habergeon And bad her all things put in readinesse anon Th' old woman nought that needed did omit But all things did conuiently puruay It fortuned so time their turne did fit A band of Britons ryding on forray Few dryes before had gotten a great pray Of Saxon goods emongst the which was seene A goodly Armour and full rich aray Which long'd to Angela the Saxon Queene All fretted round with gold and goodly well beseene The same with all the other ornaments King Ryence caused to be hanged hy In his chiefe Church for endlesse moniments Of his successe and gladfull victory Of which her selfe auising readily In th' euening late old Glauce thither led Faire Britomart and that same Armory Downe taking her therein appareled Well as she might and with braue bauldrick garnished Beside those armes there stood a mighty speare Which Bladud made by Magick art of yore And vsd the same in battell aye to beare Sith which it had bin here preseru'd in store For his great vertues proued long afore For neuer wight so fast in sell could sit But him perforce vnto the ground it bore Both speare she tooke and shield which hong by it Both speare shield of great powre for her purpose fit Thus when she had the virgin all arayd Another harnesse which did hang thereby About her selfe she dight that the young Mayd She might in equall armes accompany And as her Squire attend her carefully Tho to their ready Steeds they clombe full light And through back wayes that none might them espy Couered with secret cloud of silent night Themselues they forth conuayd passed forward right Ne rested they till that to Faery lond They came as Merlin them directed late Where meeting with this Redcrosse knight she fond Of diuerse things discourses to dilate But most of Arthegall and his estate At last their wayes so fell that they mote part Then each to other well affectionate Friendship professed with vnfained hart The Redcrosse knight diuerst but forth rode Britomart Cant. IIII. Bold Marinell of Britomart Is throwne on the Rich strond Faire Florimell of Arthur is Long followed but not fond WHere is the Antique glory now become That whilome wont in women to appeare Where be the braue atchieuements doen by some Where be the battels where the shield and speare And all the conquests which them high did reare That matter made for famous Poets verse And boastfull men so oft abasht to heare Bene they all dead and laid in dolefull herse Or doen they onely sleepe and shall againe reuerse If they be dead then woe is me therefore But if they sleepe ô let them soone awake For all too long I burne with enuy sore To heare the warlike feates which Homere spake Of bold Panthesilee which made a lake Of Greekish bloud so oft in Troian plaine But when I read how stout Debora strake Proud Sisera and how Camill ' hath slaine The huge Orsilochus I swell with great disdaine Yet these and all that else had puissaunce Cannot with noble Britomart compare Aswell for glory of great valiaunce As for pure chastitie and vertue rare That all her goodly deeds do well declare Well worthy stock from which the branches sprong That in late yeares so faire a blossome bare As thee ô Queene the matter of my song Whose lignage from this Lady I deriue along Who when through speaches with the Redcrosse knight She learned had th' estate of Arthegall And in each point her selfe informd aright A friendly league of loue perpetuall She with him bound and Congé tooke withall Then he forth on his iourney did proceede To seeke aduentures which mote him befall And win him worship through his warlike deed Which alwayes of his paines he made the chiefest meed But Britomart kept on her former course Ne euer dofte her armes but all the way Grew pensiue through that amorous discourse By which the Redcrosse knight did earst display Her louers shape and cheualrous aray A thousand thoughts she fashioned in her mind And in her feigning fancie did pourtray Him such as fittest she for loue could find Wise warlike personable curteous and kind With such selfe-pleasing thoughts her wound she fed And thought so to beguile her grieuous smart But so her smart was much more grieuous bred And the deepe wound more deepe engord her hart That nought but death her dolour mote depart So forth she rode without repose or rest Searching all lands and each remotest part Following the guidaunce of her blinded guest Till that to the sea-coast at length she her addres There she a lighted from her light-foot beast And sitting downe vpon the rocky shore Bad her old Squire vnlace her lofty creast Tho hauing vewd a while the surges hore That gainst the craggy clifts did loudly rore And in their raging surquedry disdaynd That the fast earth affronted them so sore And their deuoring couetize restraynd Thereat she sighed deepe and after thus complaynd Huge sea of sorrow and tempestuous griefe Wherein my feeble barke is tossed long Far from the hoped hauen of reliefe Who do thy cruell billowes beat so strong And thy moyst mountaines each on others throng Threatning to swallow vp my fearefull life O do thy cruell wrath and spightfull wrong At length allay and stint thy stormy strife Which in these troubled bowels raignes rageth rife For else my feeble vessell crazd and crackt Through thy strong buffets and outrageous blowes Cannot endure but needs it must be wrackt On the rough rocks or on the sandy shallowes The whiles that loue it steres and fortune rowes Loue my lewd Pilot hath a restlesse mind And fortune Boteswaine no assuraunce knowes But saile withouten starres gainst tide and wind How can they other do sith both are bold and blind Thou God of winds that raignest in the seas That raignest also in the Continent At last blow vp some gentle gale of ease The which may bring my ship ere it be rent Vnto the gladsome port of her intent Then when I shall my selfe in safety see A
gent Whom late in chace of beautie excellent She left pursewing that same foster strong Of whose foule outrage they impatient And full of fiery zeale him followed long To reskew her from shame and to reuenge her wrong Through thick and thin through mountaines through plains Those two great chāpions did attonce pursew The fearefull damzell with incessant paines Who from them fled as light-foot hare from vew Of hunter swift and sent of houndes 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 happie were to win so goodly pray But Timias the Princes gentle Squire That Ladies loue vnto his Lord forlent And with proud enuy and indignant ire After that wicked foster fiercely went So beene they three three sundry wayes ybent But fairest fortune to the Prince befell Whose chaunce it was that soone he did repent To take that way in which that Damozell Was fled afore affraid of him as feend of hell At last of her farre off he gained vew Then gan he freshly pricke his fomy steed And euer as he nigher to her drew So euermore he did increase his speed And of each turning still kept warie heed Aloud 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 hastie 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 aire her way does cut amaine Hauing farre off espyde a Tassell gent Which after her his nimble wings doth straine Doubleth her haste for feare to be for-hent And with her pineons cleaues the liquid firmament With no lesse haste and eke with no lesse dreed That fearefull Ladie fled 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 vewd Her selfe freed from that foster insolent And that it was a knight which now her sewd 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 seldome seene That fast she from him fled no lesse affrayd Then of wilde beastes if she had chased beene Yet he her followd still with courage 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 Ioues eternall hous All suddenly dim woxe 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 mote surcease 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 Lodestarre suddenly Couered with cloudes her Pilot 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 grassie 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 sorrow and disdaine Of his hard hap did vexe his noble brest And thousand fancies bet his idle braine 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 hastie Night he blamed bitterlie Night thou foule Mother of annoyance sad Sister of heauie death and nourse of woe Which wast begot 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 blacke hous Blacke 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 things deface ne lettest see The beautie of his worke Indeed in sleepe The slouthfull bodie that doth loue to steepe His lustlesse limbes and drowne his baser mind Doth praise thee oft and oft from Stygian deepe Calles thee his goddesse in his error blind And great Dame Natures handmaide chearing euery kind But well I wote that to an heauy hart Thou art the root and nurse 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 drearie image of sad death appeares So from the wearie spirit thou doest driue Desired rest and men of happinesse depriue Vnder thy mantle blacke there hidden lye Light-shonning theft and traiterous intent Abhorred bloudshed and vile felony Shamefull deceipt and daunger imminent Foule horror and eke hellish dreriment All these I wote in thy protection bee And light doe shonne for feare of being shent For lightylike is loth'd of them and thee And all that lewdnesse loue doe hate the light to see For day discouers all dishonest wayes And sheweth each thing as it is indeed The prayses of high God he faire displayes And his large bountie rightly doth areed Dayes dearest children be the blessed seed Which darknesse shall subdew and heauen win Truth is his daughter he her first did breed Most sacred virgin without spot of sin Our life is day but death with darknesse doth begin O when will day then turne to me againe And bring with him his long expected light O Titan haste to reare thy ioyous waine Speed thee to spred abroad thy beames bright And chase away this too long lingring night Chase her away from whence she came to hell She she it is that hath me done despight There let her with the damned spirits dwell And yeeld her roome to day that can it gouerne well Thus did the Prince that wearie night outweare In restlesse anguish and vnquiet paine And earely ere the morrow did vpreare His deawy head out of the Ocean maine He vp arose as halfe in great disdaine And clombe vnto his steed So forth he went With heauie looke and lumpish pace that plaine In him bewraid great grudge and maltalent His steed eke seem'd t' apply his steps to his intent Cant. V. Prince Arthur heares of Florimell three fosters Timias wound Belphebe finds him almost dead and reareth out of sownd WOnder it is to see in diuerse minds How diuersly loue doth his pageants play And shewes his powre in variable kinds The bafer wit whose idle thoughts
alway Are wont to cleaue vnto the lowly clay It stirreth vp to sensuall desire And in lewd slouth to wast his carelesse day But in braue sprite it kindles goodly fire That to all high desert and honour doth aspire Ne suffereth it vncomely idlenesse In his free thought to build her sluggish nest Ne suffereth it thought of vngentlenesse Euer to creepe into his noble brest But to the highest and the worthiest Lifteth it vp that else would lowly fall It lets not fall it lets it not to rest It lets not scarse this Prince to breath at all But to his first poursuit him forward still doth call Who long time wandred through the forrest wyde To finde some issue thence till that at last He met a Dwarfe that seemed terrifyde With some late perill which he hardly past Or other accident which him aghast Of whom he asked whence he lately came And whither now he trauelled so fast For sore he swat and running through that same Thicke forest was be scratcht both his feet nigh lame Panting for breath and almost out of hart The Dwarfe him answerd Sir ill mote I stay To tell the same I lately did depart From Faery court where I haue many a day Serued a gentle Lady of great sway And high accompt through out all Elfin land Who lately left the same and tooke this way Her now I seeke and if ye vnderstand Which way she fared hath good Sir tell out of hand What mister wight said he and how arayd Royally clad quoth he in cloth of gold As meetest may beseeme a noble mayd Her faire lockes in rich circlet be enrold And fairer wight did neuer Sunne behold And on a Palfrey rides more white then snow Yet she her selfe is whiter manifold The surest signe whereby ye may her know Is that she is the fairest wight aliue I trow Now certes swaine said he such one I weene Fast flying through this forest from her fo A foule ill fauoured foster I haue seene Her selfe well as I might I reskewd tho But could not stay so fast she did foregoe Carried away with wings of speedy feare Ah dearest God quoth he that is great woe And wondrous ruth to all that shall it heare But can ye read Sir how I may her find or where Perdy me leuer were to weeten that Said he then ransome of the richest knight Or all the good that euer yet I gat But froward fortune and too forward Night Such happinesse did maulgre to me spight And fro me rest both life and light attone But Dwarfe aread what is that Lady bright That through this forest wandreth thus alone For of her errour straunge I haue great ruth and mone That Lady is quoth he where so she bee The bountiest virgin and most debonaire That euer liuing eye I weene did see Liues none this day that may with her compare In stedfast chastitie and vertue rare The goodly ornaments of beautie bright And is ycleped Florimell the faire Faire Florimell belou'd of a many a knight Yet she loues none but one that Marinell is hight A Sea-nymphes sonne that Marinell is hight Of my deare Dame is loued dearely well In other none but him she sets delight All her delight is set on Marinell But he sets nought at all by Florimell For Ladies loue his mother long ygoe Did him they say forwarne through sacred spell But fame now flies that of a forreine foe He is yslaine which is the ground of all our woe Fiue dayes there be since he they say was slaine And foure since Florimell the Court for-went And vowed neuer to returne againe Till him aliue or dead she did inuent Therefore faire Sir for loue of knighthood gent And honour of trew Ladies if ye may By your good counsell or bold hardiment Or succour her or me direct the way Do one or other good I you most humbly pray So may you gaine to you full great renowme Of all good Ladies through the world so wide And haply in her hart find highest rowme Of whom ye seeke to be most magnifide At least eternall meede shall you abide To whom the Prince Dwarfe comfort to thee take For till thou tidings learne what her betide I here auow thee neuer to forsake Ill weares he armes that nill them vse for Ladies sake So with the Dwarfe he backe return'd againe To seeke his Lady where he mote her find But by the way he greatly gan complaine The want of his good Squire late left behind For whom he wondrous pensiue grew in mind For douht of daunger which mote him betide For him he loued aboue all mankind Hauing him trew and faithfall euer tride And bold as euer Squire that waited by knights side Who all this while full hardly was assayd Of deadly daunger which to him betid For whiles his Lord pursewd that noble Mayd After that foster fowle he fiercely rid To bene auenged of the shame he did To that faire Damzell Him he chaced long Through the thicke woods wherein he would haue hid His shamefull head from his auengement strong And oft him threatned death for his outrageous wrong Nathlesse the villen sped himselfe so well Whether through swiftnesse of his speedy beast Or knowledge of those woods where he did dwell That shortly he from daunger was releast And out of sight escaped at the least Yet not escaped from the dew reward Of his bad deeds which dayly he increast Ne ceased not till him oppressed hard The heauy plague that for such leachours is prepard For soone as he was vanisht out of sight His coward courage gan emboldned bee And cast t auenge him of that fowle despight Which he had borne of his bold enimee Tho to his brethren came for they were three Vngratious children of one gracelesse sire And vnto them complained how that he Had vsed bene of that foolehardy Squire So them with bitter words he stird to bloudy ire Forthwith themselues with their sad instruments Of spoyle and murder they gan arme byliue And with him forth into the forest went To wreake the wrath which he did earst reuiue In their sterne brests on him which late did driue Their brother to reproch and shamefull flight For they had vow'd that neuer he aliue Out of that forest should escape their might Vile rancour their rude harts had fild with such despight Within that wood there was a couert glade Foreby a narrow foord to them well knowne Through which it was vneath for wight to wade And now by fortune it was ouerflowne By that same way they knew that Squire vnknowne Mote algates passe for thy themselues they set There in await with thicke woods ouer growne And all the while their malice they did whet With cruell threats his passage through the ford to let It fortuned as they deuized had The gentle Squire came ryding that same way Vnweeting of their wile and treason bad And through the ford to passen did assay But that fierce foster
seruice may I do vnto thee meete That hast from darkenesse me returnd to light And with thy heauenly salues and med'cines sweete Hast drest my sinfull wounds I kisse thy blessed feete Thereat she blushing said Ah gentle Squire Nor Goddesse I nor Angell but the Mayd And daughter of a woody Nymphe desire No seruice but thy safety and ayd Which if thou gaine I shal be well apayd We mortall wights whose liues and fortunes bee To commun accidents still open layd Are bound with commun bond of frailtee To succour wretched wights whom we captiued see By this her Damzels which the former chace Had vndertaken after her arriu'd As did Belphoebe in the bloudy place And thereby deemd the beast had bene depriu'd Of life whom late their Ladies arrow ryu'd For thy the bloudy tract they follow fast And euery one to runne the swiftest stryu'd But two of them the rest far ouerpast And where their Lady was arriued at the last Where when they saw that goodly boy with blood Defowled and their Lady dresse his wownd They wondred much and shortly vnderstood How him in deadly case their Lady fownd And reskewed out of the heauy stownd Eftsoones his warlike courser which was strayd Farre in the woods whiles that he lay in swownd She made those Damzels search which being stayd They did him set thereon and forthwith them conuayd Into that forest farre they thence him led Where was their dwelling in a pleasant glade With mountaines round about enuironed And mighty woods which did the valley shade And like a stately Theatre it made Spreading it selfe into a spatious plaine And in the midst a little riuer plaide Emongst the pumy stones which seemd to plaine With gentle murmure that his course they did restraine Beside the same a dainty place there lay Planted with mirtle trees and laurels greene In which the birds song many a louely lay Of gods high prayse and of their loues sweet teene As it an earthly Paradize had beene In whose enclosed shadow there was pight A faire Pauilion scarcely to be seene The which was all within most richly dight That greatest Princes liuing it mote well delight Thither they brought that wounded Squire and layd In easie couch his feeble limbes to rest He rested him a while and then the Mayd His ready wound with better salues new drest Dayly she dressed him and did the best His grieuous hurt to garish that she might That shortly she his dolour hath redrest And his foule sore reduced to faire plight It she reduced but himselfe destroyed quight O foolish Physick and vnfruitfull paine That heales vp one and makes another wound She his hurt thigh to him recur'd againe But hurt his hart the which before was sound Through an vnwary dart which did rebound From her faire eyes and gracious countenaunce What bootes it him from death to be vnbound To be captiued in endlesse duraunce Of sorrow and despaire without aleggeaunce Still as his wound did gather and grow hole So still his hart woxe sore and health decayd Madnesse to saue a part and lose the whole Still whenas he beheld the heauenly Mayd Whiles dayly plaisters to his wound she layd So still his Malady the more increast The whiles her matchlesse beautie him dismayd Ah God what other could he do at least But loue so faire a Lady that his life releast Long while he stroue in his courageous brest With reason dew the passion to subdew And loue for to dislodge out of his nest Still when her excellencies he did vew Her soueraigne bounty and celestiall hew The same to loue he strongly was constraind But when his meane estate he did renew He from such hardy boldnesse was restraind And of his lucklesse lot and cruell loue thus plaind Vnthankfull wretch said he is this the meed With which her soueraigne mercy thou doest quight Thy life she saued by her gracious deed But thou doest weene with villeinous despight To blot her honour and her heauenly light Dye rather dye then so disloyally Deeme of her high desert or seeme so light Faire death it is to shonne more shame to dy Dye rather dy then euer loue disloyally But if to loue disloyalty it bee Shall I then hate her that from deathes dore Me brought ah farre be such reproch fro mee What can I lesse do then her loue therefore Sith I her dew reward cannot restore Dye rather dye and dying do her serue Dying her serue and liuing her adore Thy life she gaue thy life she doth deserue Dye rather dye then euer from her seruice swerue But foolish boy what bootes thy seruice bace To her to whom the heauens do serue and sew Thou a meane Squire of meeke and lowly place She heauenly borne and of celestiall hew How then of all loue taketh equall vew And doth not highest God vouchsafe to take The loue and seruice of the basest crew If she will not dye meekly for her sake Dye rather dye then euer so faire loue forsake Thus warreid he long time against his will Till that through weaknesse he was forst at last To yield himselfe vnto the mighty ill Which as a victour proud gan ransack fast His inward parts and all his entrayles wast That neither bloud in face nor life in hart It left but both did quite drye vp and blast As percing leuin which the inner part Of euery thing consumes and calcineth by art Which seeing faire Belphoebe gan to feare Least that his wound were inly well not healed Or that the wicked steele empoysned were Litle she weend that loue he close concealed Yet still he wasted as the snow congealed When the bright sunne his beams thereon doth beat Yet neuer he his hart to her reuealed But rather chose to dye for sorrow great Then with dishonorable termes her to entreat She gracious Lady yet no paines did spare To do him ease or do him remedy Many Restoratiues of vertues rare And costly Cordialles she did apply To mitigate his stubborne mallady But that sweet Cordiall which can restore A loue-sick hart she did to him enuy To him and to all th'vnworthy world forlore She did enuy that soueraigne salue in secret store That dainty Rose the daughter of her Morne More deare then life she tendered whose flowre The girlond of her honour did adorne Ne suffred she the Middayes scorching powre Ne the sharp Northerne wind thereon to showre But lapped vp her silken leaues most chaire When so the froward skye began to lowre But soone as calmed was the Christall aire She did it faire dispred and let to florish faire Eternall God in his almighty powre To make ensample of his heauenly grace In Paradize whilome did plant this flowre Whence he it fetcht out of her natiue place And did in stocke of earthly flesh enrace That mortall men her glory should admire In gentle Ladies brest and bounteous race Of woman kind it fairest flowre doth spire And beareth fruit of honour and all chast
desire Faire ympes of beautie whose bright shining beames Adorne the world with like to heauenly light And to your willes both royalties and Realmes Subdew through conquest of your wondrous might With this faire flowre your goodly girlonds dight Of chastity and vertue virginall That shall embellish more your beautie bright And crowne your heades with heauenly coronall Such as the Angels weare before Gods tribunall To your faire selues a faire ensample frame Of this faire virgin this Belphoebe faire To whom in perfect loue and spotlesse fame Of chastitie none liuing may compaire Ne poysnous Enuy iustly can empaire The prayse of her fresh flowring Maidenhead For thy she standeth on the highest staire Of th'honorable stage of womanhead That Ladies all may follow her ensample dead In so great prayse of stedfast chastity Nathlesse she was so curteous and kind Tempred with grace and goodly modesty That seemed those two vertues stroue to find The higher place in her Heroick mind So striuing each did other more augment And both encreast the prayse of woman kind And both encreast her beautie excellent So all did make in her a perfect complement Cant. VI. The birth of faire Belphoebe and Of Amoret is told The Gardins of Adonis fraught With pleasures manifold WEll may I weene faire Ladies all this while Ye wonder how this noble Damozell So great perfections did in her compile Sith that in saluage forests she did dwell So farre from court and royall Citadell The great schoolmistresse of all curtesy Seemeth that such wild woods should far expell All ciuill vsage and gentility And gentle sprite deforme with rude rusticity But to this faire Belphoebe in her berth The heauens so fauourable were and free Looking with myld aspect vpon the earth In th' Horoscope of her natiuitee That all the gifts of grace and chastitee On her they poured forth of plenteous horne Ioue laught on Venus from his soueraigne see And Phoebus with faire beames did her adorne And all the Graces rockt her cradle being borne Her berth was of the wombe of Morning dew And her conception of the ioyous Prime And all her whole creation did her shew Pure and vnspotted from all loathly crime That is ingenerate in fleshly slime So was this virgin borne so was she bred So was she trayned vp from time to time In all chast vertue and true bounti-hed Till to her dew perfection she was ripened Her mother was the faire Chrysogonee The daughter of Amphisa who by race A Faerie was yborne of high degree She bore Belphaebe she bore in like cace Faire Amoretta in the second place These two were twinnes twixt them two did share The heritage of all celestiall grace That all the rest it seem'd they robbed bare Of bountie and of beautie and all vertues rare It were a goodly storie to declare By what straunge accident faire Chrysogone Conceiu'd these infants and how them she bare In this wild forrest wandring all alone After she had nine moneths fulfild and gone For not as other wemens commune brood They were enwombed in the sacred throne Of her chaste bodie nor with commune food As other wemens babes they sucked vitall blood But wondrously they were begot and bred Through influence of th' heauens fruitfull ray As it in antique bookes is mentioned It was vpon a Somâ—ers shynie day When Titan faire his beames did display In a fresh fountaine farre from all mens vew She bath'd her brest the boyling heat t' allay She bath'd with roses red and violets blew And all the sweetest flowres that in the forrest grew Till faint through irkesome wearinesse adowne Vpon the grassie ground her selfe she layd To sleepe the whiles a gentle slombring swowne Vpon her fell all naked bare displayd The sunne-beames bright vpon her body playd Being through former bathing mollifide And pierst into her wombe where they embayd With so sweet sence and secret power vnspide That in her pregnant flesh they shortly fructifide Miraculous may seeme to him that reades So straunge ensample of conception But reason teacheth that the fruitfull seades Of all things liuing through impression Of the sunbeames in moyst complexion Doe life conceiue and quickned are by kynd So after Nilus invndation Infinite shapes of creature men do fynd Informed in the mud on which the Sunne hath shynd Great father he of generation Is rightly cald th' author of life and light And his faire sister for creation Ministreth matter fit which tempred right With heate and humour breedes the liuing wight So sprong these twinnes in wombe of Chrysogone Yet wist she nought thereof but sore affright Wondred to see her belly so vpblone Which still increast till she her terme had full outgone Whereof conceiuing shame and foule disgrace Albe her guiltlesse conscience her cleard She sled into the wildernesse a space Till that vnweeldy burden she had reard And shund dishonor which as death she feard Where wearie of long trauell downe to rest Her selfe she set and comfortably cheard There a sad cloud of sleepe her ouerkest And seized euery sense with sorrow sore opprest It fortuned faire Venus hauing lost Her little sonne the winged god of loue Who for some light displeasure which him crost Was from her fled as flit as ayerie Doue And left her blisfull bowre of ioy aboue So from her often he had fled away When she for ought him sharpely did reproue And wandred in the world in strange aray Disguiz'd in thousand shapes that none might him bewray Him for to seeke she left her heauenly hous The house of goodly formes and faire aspects Whence all the world deriues the glorious Features of beauties and all shapes select With which high God his workmanship hath deckt And searched euery way through which his wings Had borne him or his tract she mote detect She promist kisses sweet and sweeter things Vnto the man that of him tydings to her brings First she him sought in Court where most he vsed Whylome to haunt but there she found him not But many there she found which sore accused His falsehood and with foule infamous blot His cruell deedes and wicked wyles did spot Ladies and Lords she euery where mote heare Complayning how with his empoysned shot Their wofull harts he wounded had whyleare And so had left them languishing twixt hope and feare She then the Cittie 's sought from gate to gate And euery one did aske did he him see And euery one her answerd that too late He had him seene and felt the crueltie Of his sharpe darts and whot artillerie And euery one threw forth reproches rife Of his mischieuous deedes and said That hee Was the disturber of all ciuill life The enimy of peace and author of all strife Then in the countrey she abroad him sought And in the rurall cottages inquired Where also many plaints to her were brought How he their heedlesse harts with loue had fyred And his false venim through their veines inspyred And eke the gentle shepheard
enclosd they were Ere they into the lightsome 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 behauioure But greatest shame was to that maiden twin Who not content so fowly to deuoure Her natiue flesh and straine her brothers bowre Did wallow in all other fleshly myre And suffred beasts 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 countrey she did raunge To seeke young men to quench her flaming thurst And feed her fancy with delightfull chaunge Whom so she fittest finds to serue her lust Through her maine strength in which she most doth trust She with her brings into a secret I le Where in eternall bondage dye he must Or be 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 lothsome 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 seemed But a faire virgin that in martiall law And deedes of armes aboue all Dames is deemed And aboue many knights is eke esteemed For her great worth She Palladine is hight She you from death you me from dread redeemed Ne any may that Monster match in fight But she or such 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 weary 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 Bad her commaund my life to saue or spill Eftsoones she bad me with incessaunt paine To wander through the world abroad at will And euery where where with my power or skill I might do 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 Three hundred pledges for my good desartes And thirse 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 smartes Then to reward my trusty true intent She gan for me deuise a grieuous punishment To weet that I my trauell should resume And with like labour walke the world around Ne euer to her presence should presume Till I so many other Dames had found The which for all the suit I could propound Would me refuse their pledges to afford But did abide for euer chast and sound Ah gentle Squire quoth he tell at one word How many foundst thou such to put in thy record In deed Sir knight said he one word may tell All that I euer found so wisely stayd For onely three they were disposd so well And yet three yeares I now abroad haue strayd To find 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 flat refusd to haue a do 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 said 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 found by chaunce Full little weened I that chastitee Had lodging in so meane a maintenaunce Yet was she faire and in her countenance Dwelt simple truth in seemely fashion Long thus I woo'd her with dew obseruance In hope vnto my pleasure to haue won But was as farre 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 wast in vaine Seeking to match the chaste with th'vnchaste Ladies traine Perdy said Satyrane thou Squire of Dames Great labour fondly hast thou hent in hand To get small thankes and therewith many blames That may emongst Alcides labours stand Thence backe returning to the former land Where late he left the Beast he ouercame He found him not for he had broke his band And was return'd againe vnto his Dame To tell what tydings of faire Florimell became Cant. VIII The Witch creates a snowy Lady like to Florimell Who wrongd by Carle by Proteus sau'd is sought by Paridell SO oft as I this history record My hart doth melt with meere compassion To thinke how causelesse of her owne accord This gentle Damzell whom I write vpon Should plonged be in such affliction Without all hope of comfort or reliefe That sure I weene the hardest hart of stone Would hardly find to aggrauate her griefe For misery craues rather mercie then repriefe But that accursed Hag her hostesse late Had so enranckled her malitious hart That she desyrd th' abridgement of her fate Or long enlargement of her painefull smart Now when the Beast which by her wicked art Late forth she sent she backe returning spyde Tyde with her broken girdle it a part Of her rich spoyles whom he had earst destroyd She weend and wondrous gladnesse to her hart applyde And with it running hast'ly to her sonne Thought with that sight him much to haue reliued Who thereby deeming sure the thing as donne His former griefe with furie fresh reuiued Much more then earst and would haue algates riued The hart out of his brest for sith her ded He surely dempt himselfe he thought depriued Quite of all hope where with he long had fed His foolish maladie and long time had misled With thought whereof exceeding mad he grew And in his rage his mother would haue slaine Had she not fled into a secret mew Where she was wont her Sprights
would flit Tho stooping downe she him amoued light Who therewith somewhat starting vp gan looke And seeing him behind a straunger knight Whereas no liuing creature he mistooke With great indignaunce he that sight forsooke And downe againe himselfe disdainefully Abiecting th' earth with his faire forhead strooke Which the bold Virgin seeing gan apply Fit medcine to his griefe and spake thus courtesly Ah gentle knight whose deepe cenceiued griefe Well seemes t' exceede the powre of patience Yet if that heauenly grace some good reliefe You send submit you to high prouidence And euer in your noble hart prepense That all the sorrow in the world is lesse Then vertues might and values confidence For who nill bide the burden of distresse Must not here thinke to liue for life is wretchednesse Therefore faire Sir do comfort to you take And freely read what wicked felon so Hath outrag'd you and thrald your gentle make Perhaps this hand may helpe to ease your woe And wreake your sorrow on your cruell foe And least it faire endeuour will apply Those feeling wordes so neare the quicke did goe That vp his head he reared easily And leaning on his elbow these few wordes let fly What boots it plaine that cannot be redrest And sow vaine sorrow in a fruilesse care Sith powre of hand nor skill of learned brest Ne worldly price cannot redeeme my deare Out of her thraldome and continuall feare For he the tyraunt which her hath in ward By strong enchauntments and blacke Magicke leare Hath in a dungeon deepe her close embard And many dreadfull feends hath pointed to her gard There he tormenteth her most terribly And day and night afflicts with mortall paine Because to yield him loue she doth deny Once to me yold not to be yold againe But yet by torture he would her constraine Loue to conceiue in her disdainfull breast Till so she do she must in doole remaine Ne may by liuing meanes be thence relest What boots it then to plaine that cannot be redrest With this sad hersall of his heauy stresse The warlike Damzell was empassiond sore And said Sir knight your cause is nothing lesse Then is your sorrow certes if not more For nothing so much pitty doth implore As gentle Ladies helplesse misery But yet if please ye listen to my lore I will with proofe of last extremity Deliuer her fro thence or with her for you dy Ah gentlest knight aliue said Scudamore What huge heroicke magnanimity Dwels in thy bounteous brest what couldst thou more If she were thine and thou as now am I O spare thy happy dayes and them apply To better boot but let me dye that ought More is more losse one is enough to dy Life is not lost said she for which is bought Endlesse renowm that more then death is to be sought Thus she at length perswaded him to rise And with her wend to see what new successe Mote him befall vpon new enterprise His armes which he had vowed to disprofesse She gathered vp and did about him dresse And his for wandred steed vnto him got So forth they both yfere make their progresse And march not past the mountenaunce of a shot Till they arriu'd whereas their purpose they did plot There they dismounting drew their weapons bold And stoutly came vnto the Castle gate Whereas no gate they found them to withhold Nor ward to wait at morne and euening late But in the Porch that did them sore amate A flaming fire ymixt with smouldry smoke And stinking Sulphure that with griesly hate And dreadfull horrour did all entraunce choke Enforced them their forward footing to reuoke Greatly thereat was Britomart dismayd Ne in that stownd wist how her selfe to beare For daunger vaine it were to haue assayd That cruell element which all things feare Ne none can suffer to approchen neare And turning backe to Scudamour thus sayd What monstrous enmity prouoke we heare Foolhardy as th'Earthes children the which made Battell against the Gods so we a God inuade Daunger without discretion to attempt Inglorious and beastlike is therefore Sir knight A read what course of you is safest dempt And how we with our foe may come to fight This quoth he the dolorous despight Which earst to you I playnd for neither may This fire be quencht by any wit or might Ne yet by any meanes remou'd away So mighty be th'enchauntments which the same do stay What is there else but cease these fruitlesse paines And leaue me to my former languishing Faire Amoret must dwell in wicked chaines And Scudamore here dye with sorrowing Perdy not so said she for shamefull thing It were t' abandon noble cheuisaunce For shew of perill without venturing Rather let try extremities of chaunce Then enterprised prayse for dread to disauaunce Therewith resolu'd to prone her vtmost might Her ample shield she threw before her face And her swords point directing forward right Assayld the flame the which eftsoones gaue place And did it selfe diuide with equall space That throngh she passed as a thunder bolt Perceth the yielding ayre and doth displace The soring clouds into sad showres ymolt So to her yold the flames and did their force reuolt Whom whenas Scudamour saw past the fire Safe and Vntoucht he likewise gan assay With greedy will and enuious desire And bad 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 imperious sway Him forst maulgre his fiercenesse 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 woodnesse he effierced was And wilfully him throwing on the gras Did beat and bounse his head and brest full sore The whiles the Championesse now entred has The vtmost rowme and past the formest dore The vtmost rowme abounding with all precious store For round about the wals 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 hid from enuious eye Yet here and there and euery where vnwares It shewd it sfelfe and shone vnwillingly Like a discolourd Snake whose hidden snares Through the greene gras his long bright burnisht backe declares And in those Tapets weren fashioned Many faire pourtraicts and many a faire feate And all of loue and all of lusty-hed As seemed by their semblaunt did entreat And eke all Cupids warres they did repeate And cruell battels 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 writ how often thundring 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
to despaire did turne Misdeeming sure that her those flames did burne And therefore gan aduize with her old Squire Who her deare nourslings losse no lesse did mourne Thence to depart for further aide t' enquire Where let them wend at will whilest here I doe respire A Vision vpon this conceipt of the Faery Queene ME thought I saw the graue where Laura lay Within that Temple where the vestall flame Was wont to burne and passing by that way To see that buried dust of liuing fame Whose tombe faire loue and fairer vertue kept All suddenly I saw the Faery Queene At whose approch the soule of Petrarke wept And from thenceforth those graces were not seene For they this Queene attended in whose steed Obliuion laid him downe on Lauras herse Hereat the hardest stones were seene to bleed And grones of buried ghostes the heauens did perse Where Homers spright did tremble all for griefe And curst th' accesse of that celestiall theife Another of the same THe prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings As doth the Cuckoes song delight when Philumena sings If thou hast formed right true vertues face herein Vertue her selfe can best discerne to whom they written bin If thou hast beautie praysd let her sole lookes diuine Iudge if ought therein be amis and mend it by her eine If Chastitie want ought or Temperance her dew Behold her Princely mind aright and write thy Queene anew Meane while she shall perceiue how farre her vertues sore Aboue the reach of all that liue or such as wrote of yore And thereby will excuse and fauour thy good will Whose vertue can not be exprest but by an Angels quill Of me no lines are lou'd nor letters are of price Of all which speake our English tongue but those of thy deuice W.R. To the learned Shepheard COllyn I see by thy new taken taske some sacred fury hath enricht thy braynes That leades thy muse in haughtie verse to maske and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto kings So like the liuely Larke that mounting sings Thy louely Rosolinde seemes now forlorne and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in scorne those prety pypes that did thy mates delight Those trustie mates that loued thee so well VVhom thou gau'st mirth as they gaue thee the bell Yet as thou earst with thy sweet roundelayes didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes delight the dainty eares of higher powers And so mought they in their deepe skanning skill Alow and grace our Collyns flowing quill And fare befall that Faerie Queene of thine in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sits Enfusing by those bewties fiers deuine Such high conceites into thy humble wits As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede From rusticke tunes to chaunt heroique deedes So mought thy Redcrosse knight with happy hand victorious be in that faire Hands right VVhich thou doest vaile in Type of Faery land Elyzas blessed field that Albion hight That shieldes her friends and warres her mightie foes Yet still with people peace and plentie flowes But iolly Shepheard though with pleasing style thou feast the humour of the Courtly traine 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 THE SECOND PART OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Containing THE FOVRTH FIFTH AND SIXTH BOOKES By Ed. Spenser ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London for VVilliam Ponsonby 1596. THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Containing The Legend of CAMBEL and TELAMOND OR OF FRIENDSHIP THe rugged forhead that with graue foresight Welds kingdomes causes affaires of state My looser rimes I wote doth sharply wite For praising loue as I haue done of late And magnifying louers deare debate By which fraile youth is oft to follie led Through false allurement of that pleasing baite That better were in vertues discipled Then with vaine poemes weeds to haue their fancies fed Such ones ill iudge of loue that cannot loue Ne in their frosen hearts feele kindly flame For thy they ought not thing vnknowne reproue Ne naturall affection faultlesse blame For fault of few that haue abusd the same For it of honor and all vertue is The roote and brings forth glorious flowres of fame That crowne true louers with immortall blis The meed of them that loue and do not liue amisse Which who so list looke backe to former ages And call to count the things that then were donne Shall find that all the workes of those wise sages And braue exploits which great Heroes wonne In loue were either ended or begunne Witnesse the father of Philosophie Which to his Critias shaded oft from sunne Of loue full manie lessons did apply The which these Stoicke censours cannot well deny To such therefore I do not sing at all But to that sacred Saint my soueraigne Queene In whose chast breast all bountie naturall And treasures of true loue enlocked beene Boue all her sexe that euer yet was seene To her I sing of loue that loueth best And best is lou'd of all aliue I weene To her this song most fitly is addrest The Queene of loue Prince of peace frō heauen blest Which that she may the better deigne to heare Do thou dred infant Venus dearling doue From her high spirit chase imperious feare And vse of awfull Maiestie remoue In sted thereof with drops of melting loue Deawd with ambrosiall kisses by thee gotten From thy sweete smyling mother from aboue Sprinckle her heart and haughtie courage soften That she may hearke to loue and reade this lesson often Cant. I. Fayre Britomart saues Amoret Duessa discord breedes Twixt Scudamour and Blandamour Their fight and warlike deedes OF louers sad calamities of old Full many piteous stories doe remaine But none more piteous euer was ytold Then that of Amorets hart-binding chaine And this of Florimels vnworthie paine The deare compassion of whose bitter fit My softened heart so sorely doth constraine That I with teares full oft doe pittie it And oftentimes doe wish it neuer had bene writ For from the time that Scudamour her bought In perilous fight she neuer ioyed day A perilous fight when he with force her brought From twentie Knights that did him all assay Yet fairely well he did them all dismay And with great glorie both the shield of loue And eke the Ladie selfe he brought away Whom hauing wedded as did him behoue A new vnknowen mischiefe did from him remoue For that same vile Enchauntour Busyran The very selfe same day that she was wedded Amidst the bridale feast whilest euery man Surcharg'd with wine were heedlesse and ill hedded All bent to mirth before the bride was bedded Brought in that mask of loue which late was showen And there the Ladie ill of friends bestedded By way of sport as oft
in maskes is knowen Conueyed quite away to liuing wight vnknowen Seuen moneths he so her kept in bitter smart Because his sinfull lust she would not serue Vntill such time as noble Britomart Released her that else was like to sterue Through cruell knife that her deare heart did kerue And now she is with her vpon the way Marching in louely wise that could deserue No spot of blame though spite did oft assay To blot her with dishonor of so faire a pray Yet should it be a pleasant tale to tell The diuerse vsage and demeanure daint That each to other made as oft befell For Amoret right fearefull was and faint Lest she with blame her honor should attaint That euerie word did tremble as she spake And euerie looke was coy and wondrous quaint And euerie limbe that touched her did quake Yet could she not but curteous coūtenance to her make For well she wist as true it was indeed That her liues Lord and patrone of her health Right well deserued as his duefull meed Her loue her seruice and her vtmost wealth All is his iustly that all freely dealth Nathlesse her honor dearer then her life She sought to saue as thing reseru'd from stealth Die had she leuer with Enchanters knife Then to be false in loue profest a virgine wife Thereto her feare was made so much the greater Through fine abusion of that Briton mayd Who for to hide her fained sex the better And maske her wounded mind both did and sayd Full many things so doubtfull to be wayd That well she wist not what by them to gesse For other whiles to her she purpos made Of loue and otherwhiles of lustfulnesse That much she feard his mind would grow to some excesse His will she feard for him she surely thought To be a man such as indeed he seemed And much the more by that he lately wrought When her from deadly thraldome he redeemed For which no seruice she too much esteemed Yet dread of shame and doubt of fowle dishonor Made her not yeeld so much as due she deemed Yet Britomart attended duly on her As well became a knight and did to her all honor It so befell one euening that they came Vnto a Castell lodged there to bee Where many a knight and many a louely Dame Was then assembled deeds of armes to see Amongst all which was none more faire then shee That many of them mou'd to eye her sore The custome of that place was such that hee Which had no loue nor lemman there in store Should either winne him one or lye without the dore Amongst the rest there was a iolly knight Who being asked for his loue auow'd That fairest Amoret was his by right And offred that to iustifie alowd The warlike virgine seeing his so prowd And boastfull chalenge wexed inlie wroth But for the present did her anger shrowd And sayd her loue to lose she was full loth But either he should neither of them haue or both So foorth they went and both together giusted But that same younker soone was ouerthrowne And made repent that he had rashly lusted For thing vnlawfull that was not his owne Yet since he seemed valiant though vnknowne She that no lesse was courteous then stout Cast how to salue that both the custome showne Were kept and yet that Knight not locked out That seem'd full hard t' accord two things so far in dout The Seneschall was cal'd to deeme the right Whom she requir'd that first fayre Amoret Might be to her allow'd as to a Knight That did her win and free from chalenge set Which straight to her was yeelded without let Then since that strange Knights loue from him was quitted She claim'd that to her selfe as Ladies det He as a Knight might iustly be admitted So none should be out shut sith all of loues were fitted With that her glistring helmet she vnlaced Which doft her golden lockes that were vp bound Still in a knot vnto her heeles downe traced And like a silken veile in compasse round About her backe and all her bodie wound Like as the shining skie in summers night What time the dayes with scorching heat abound Is creasted all with lines of firie light That it prodigious seemes in common peoples sight Such when those Knights and Ladies all about Beheld her all were with amazement smit And euery one gan grow in secret dout Of this and that according to each wit Some thought that some enchantment faygned it Some that Bellona in that warlike wise To them appear'd with shield and armour fit Some that it was a maske of strange disguise So diuersely each one did sundrie doubts deuise But that young Knight which through her gentle deed Was to that goodly fellowship restor'd Ten thousand thankes did yeeld her for her meed And doubly ouercommen her ador'd So did they all their former strife accord And eke fayre Amoret now freed from feare More franke affection did to her afford And to her bed which she was wont forbeare Now freely drew and found right safe assurance theare Where all that night they of their loues did treat And hard aduentures twixt themselues alone That each the other gan with passion great And griefull pittie priuately bemone The morow next so soone as Titan shone They both vprose and to their waies them dight Long wandred they yet neuer met with none That to their willes could them direct aright Or to them tydings tell that mote their harts delight Lo thus they rode till at the last they spide Two armed Knights that toward them did pace And ech of them had ryding by his side A Ladie seeming in so farre a space But Ladies none they were albee in face And outward shew faire semblance they did beare For vnder maske of beautie and good grace Vile treason and fowle falshood hidden were That mote to none but to the warie wise appeare The one of them the false Duessa hight That now had chang'd her former wonted hew For she could d'on so manie shapes in sight As euer could Cameleon colours new So could she forge all colours saue the trew The other no whit better was then shee But that such as she was she plaine did shew Yet otherwise much worse if worse might bee And dayly more offensiue vnto each degree Her name was Ate mother of debate And all dissention which doth dayly grow Amongst fraile men that many a publike state And many a priuate oft doth ouerthrow Her false Duessa who full well did know To be most fit to trouble noble knights Which hunt for honor raised from below Out of the dwellings of the damned sprights Where she in darknes wastes her cursed daies nights Hard by the gates of hell her dwelling is There whereas all the plagues and harmes abound Which punish wicked men that walke amisse It is a darksome delue farre vnder ground With thornes and barren brakes enuirond round That none the same may easily out
Paridel resynd Nathlesse he forth did march well as he might And made good semblance to his companie Dissembling his disease and euill plight Till that ere long they chaunced to espie Two other knights that towards them did ply With speedie course as bent to charge them new Whom when as Blandamour approching nie Perceiu'd to be such as they seemd in vew He was full wo and gan his former griefe renew For th' one of them he perfectly descride To be Sir Scudamour by that he bore The God of loue with wings displayed wide Whom mortally he hated euermore Both for his worth that all men did adore And eke because his loue he wonne by right Which when he thought it grieued him full sore That through the bruses of his former fight He now vnable was to wreake his old despight For thy he thus to Paridel bespake Faire Sir offriendship let me now you pray That as I late aduentured for your sake The hurts whereof me now from battell stay Ye will me now with like good turne repay And iustifie my cause on yonder knight Ah Sir said Paridel do not dismay Your selfe for this my selfe will for you fight As ye haue done for me the left hand rubs the right With that he put his spurres vnto his steed With speare in rest and toward him did fare Like shaft out of a bow preuenting speed But Scudamour was shortly well aware Of his approch and gan him selfe prepare Him to receiue with entertainment meete So furiously they met that either bare The other downe vnder their horses feete That what of them became themselues did scarsly weete As when two billowes in the Irish sowndes Forcibly driuen with contrarie tydes Do meete together each abacke rebowndes With roaring rage and dashing on all sides That filleth all the sea with some diuydes The doubtfull current into diuers wayes So fell those two in spight of both their prydes But Scudamour himselfe did soone vprayse And mounting light his foe for lying long vpbrayes Who rolled on an heape lay still in swound All carelesse of his taunt and bitter rayle Till that the rest him seeing lie on ground Ran hastily to weete what did him ayle Where finding that the breath gan him to fayle With busie care they stroue him to awake And doft his helmet and vndid his mayle So much they did that at the last they brake His slomber yet so mazed that he nothing spake Which when as Blandamour beheld he sayd False faitour Scudamour that hast by slight And foule aduantage this good Knight dismayd A Knight much better then thy selfe behight Well falles it thee that I am not in plight This day to wreake the dammage by thee donne Such is thy wont that still when any Knight Is weakned then thou doest him ouerronne So hast thou to thy selfe false honour often wonne He little answer'd but in manly heart His mightie indignation did forbeare Which was not yet so secret but some part Thereof did in his frouning face appeare Like as a gloomie cloud the which doth beare An hideous storme is by the Northerne blast Quite ouerblowne yet doth not passe so cleare But that it all the skie doth ouercast With darknes dred and threatens all the world to wast Ah gentle knight then false Duessa sayd Why do ye striue for Ladies loue so sore Whose chiefe desire is loue and friendly aid Mongst gentle Knights to nourish euermore Ne be ye wroth Sir Scudamour therefore That she your loue list loue another knight Ne do your selfe dislike a whit the more For Loue is free and led with selfe delight Ne will enforced be with maisterdome or might So false Duessa but vile Ate thus Both foolish knights I can but laugh at both That striue and storme with stirre outrageous For her that each of you alike doth loth And loues another with whom now she goth In louely wise and sleepes and sports and playes Whilest both you here with many a cursed oth Sweare she is yours and stirre vp bloudie frayes To win a willow bough whilest other weares the bayes Vile hag sayd Scudamour why dost thou lye And falsly seekst a vertuous wight to shame Fond knight sayd she the thing that with this eye I saw why should I doubt to tell the same Then tell quoth Blandamour and feare no blame Tell what thou saw'st maulgre who so it heares I saw quoth she a stranger knight whose name I wote not well but in his shield he beares That well I wote the heads of many broken speares I saw him haue your Amoret at will I saw him kisse I saw him her embrace I saw him sleepe with her all night his fill All manie nights and manie by in place That present were to testifie the case Which when as Scudamour did heare his heart Was thrild with inward griefe as when in chace The Parthian strikes a stag with shiuering dart The beast astonisht stands in middest of his smart So stood Sir Scudamour when this he heard Ne word he had to speake for great dismay But lookt on Glauce grim who woxe afeard Of outrage for the words which she heard say Albee vntrue she wist them by assay But Blandamour whenas he did espie His chaunge of cheere that anguish did bewray He woxe full blithe as he had got thereby And gan thereat to triumph without victorie Lo recreant sayd he the fruitlesse end Of thy vaine boast and spoile of loue misgotten Whereby the name of knight-hood thou dost shend And all true louers with dishonor blotten All things not rooted well will soone be rotten Fy fy false knight then false Duessa cryde Vnworthy life that loue with guile hast gotten Be thou where euer thou do go or ryde Loathed of ladies all and of all knights defyde But Scudamour for passing great despight Staid not to answer scarcely did refraine But that in all those knights and ladies sight He for reuenge had guiltlesse Glauce slaine But being past he thus began amaine False traitour squire false squire of falsest knight Why doth mine hand from thine auenge abstaine Whose Lord hath done my loue this soule despight Why do I not it wreake on thee now in my might Discourteous disloyall Britomart Vntrue to God and vnto man vniust What vengeance due can equall thy desart That hast with shamefull spot of sinfull lust Defil'd the pledge committed to thy trust Let vgly shame and endlesse infamy Colour thy name with foule reproaches rust Yet thou false Squire his fault shalt deare aby And with thy punishment his penance shalt supply The aged Dame him seeing so enraged Was dead with feare nathlesse as neede required His flaming furie sought to haue assuaged With sober words that sufferance desired Till time the tryall of her truth expyred And euermore sought Britomart to cleare But he the more with furious rage was fyred And thrise his hand to kill her did vpreare And thrise he drew it backe so did at last forbeare Cant. II.
As if their soules they would attonce haue rent Out of their brests that streames of bloud did rayle Adowne as if their springs of life were spent That all the ground with purple bloud was sprent And all their armours staynd with bloudie gore Yet scarcely once to breath would they relent So mortall was their malice and so sore Become of fayned friendship which they vow'd afore And that which is for Ladies most besitting To stint all strife and foster friendly peace Was from those Dames so farre and so vnfitting As that in stead of praying them surcease They did much more their cruelty encrease Bidding them fight for honour of their loue And rather die then Ladies cause release With which vaine termes so much they did thē moue That both resolu'd the last extremities to proue There they I weene would fight vntill this day Had not a Squire euen he the Squire of Dames By great aduenture trauelled that way Who seeing both bent to so bloudy games And both of old well knowing by their names Drew nigh to weete the cause of their debate And first laide on those Ladies thousand blames That did not fseke t' appease their deadly hate But gazed on their harmes not pittying their estate And then those Knights he humbly did beseech To stay their hands till he a while had spoken Who lookt a little vp at that his speech Yet would not let their battell so be broken Both greedie fiers on other to be wroken Yet he to them so earnestly did call And them coniur'd by some well knowen token That they at last their wrothfull hands let fall Content to heare him speake and glad to rest withall First he desir'd their cause of strife to see They said it was for loue of Florimell Ah gentle knights quoth he how may that bee And she so farre astray as none can tell Fond Squire full angry then sayd Paridell Seest not the Ladie there before thy face He looked backe and her aduizing well Weend as he said by that her outward grace That fayrest Florimell was present there in place Glad man was he to see that ioyous sight For none aliue but ioy'd in Florimell And lowly to her lowting thus behight Fayrest of faire that fairenesse doest excell This happie day I haue to greete you well In which you safe I see whom thousand late Misdoubted lost through mischiefe that befell Long may you liue in health and happie state She litle answer'd him but lightly did aggrate Then turning to those Knights he gan a new And you Sir Blandamour and Paridell That for this Ladie present in your vew Haue rays'd this cruell warre and outrage fell Certes me seemes bene not aduised well But rather ought in friendship for her sake To ioyne your force their forces to repell That seeke perforce her from you both to take And of your gotten spoyle their owne triumph to make Thereat Sir Blandamour with countenance sterne All full of wrath thus fiercely him bespake A read thou Squire that I the man may learne That dare fro me thinke Florimell to take Not one quoth he but many doe partake Herein as thus It lately so befell That Satyran a girdle did vptake Well knowne to appertaine to Florimell Which for her sake he wore as him beseemed well But when as she her selfe was lost and gone Full many knights that loued her like deare Thereat did greatly grudge that he alone That lost faire Ladies ornament should weare And gan therefore close spight to him to beare Which he to shun and stop vile enuies sting Hath lately caus'd to be proclaim'd each where A solemne feast with publike turneying To which all knights with them their Ladies are to bring And of them all she that is fayrest found Shall haue that golden girdle for reward And of those Knights who is most stout on ground Shall to that fairest Ladie be prefard Since therefore she her selfe is now your ward To you that ornament of hers pertaines Against all those that chalenge it to gard And saue her honour with your ventrous paines That shall you win more glory then ye here find gaines When they the reason of his words had hard They gan abate the rancour of their rage And with their honours and their loues regard The furious flames of malice to asswage Tho each to other did his faith engage Like faithfull friends thenceforth to ioyne in one With all their force and battell strong to wage Gainst all those knights as their professed fone That chaleng'd ought in Florimell saue they alone So well accorded forth they rode together In friendly sort that lasted but a while And of all old dislikes they made faire weather Yet all was forg'd and spred with golden foyle That vnder it hidde hate and hollow guyle Ne certes can that friendship long endure How euer gay and goodly be the style That doth ill cause or euill end enure For vertue is the band that bindeth harts most sure Thus as they marched all in close disguise Of fayned loue they chaunst to ouertake Two knights that lincked rode in louely wise As if they secret counsels did partake And each not farre behinde him had his make To weete two Ladies of most goodly hew That twixt themselues did gentle purpose make Vnmindfull both of that discordfull crew The which with speedie pace did after them pursew Who as they now approched nigh at hand Deeming them doughtie as they did apeare They sent that Squire afore to vnderstand What mote they be who viewing them more neare Returned readie newes that those same weare Two of the prowest Knights in Faery lond And those two Ladies their two louers deare Couragious Cambell and stout Triamond With Canacee and Cambine linckt in louely bond Whylome as antique stories tellen vs Those two were foes the fellonest on ground And battell made the dreddest daungerous That euer shrilling trumpet did resound Though now their acts be no where to be found As that renowmed Poet them compyled With warlike numbers and Heroicke sound Dan Chaucer well of English vndefyled On Fames eternall beadroll worthie to be fyled But wicked Time that all good thoughts doth waste And workes of noblest wits to nought out weare That famous moniment hath quite defaste And robd the world of threasure endlesse deare The which mote haue enriched all vs heare O cursed Eld the cankerworme of writs How may these rimes so rude as doth appeare Hope to endure sith workes of heauenly wits Are quite deuourd and brought to nought by little bits Then pardon O most sacred happie spirit That I thy labours lost may thus reuiue And steale from thee the meede of thy due merit That none durst euer whilest thou wast aliue And being dead in vaine yet many striue Ne dare I like but through infusion sweete Of thine owne spirit which doth in me surviue I follow here the footing of thy feete That with thy meaning so I may the rather meete Cambelloes
she the terme of each mans life For nought may lessened nor enlarged bee Graunt this that when ye shred with fatall knife His line which is the eldest of the three Which is of them the shortest as I see Eftsoones his life may passe into the next And when the next shall likewise ended bee That both their liues may likewise be annext Vnto the third that his may so be trebly wext They graunted it and then that carefull Fay Departed thence with full contented mynd And comming home in warlike fresh aray Them found all three according to their kynd But vnto them what destinie was assynd Or how their liues were eekt she did not tell But euermore when she fit time could fynd She warned them to tend their safeties well And loue each other deare what euer them befell So did they surely during all their dayes And neuer discord did amongst them fall Which much augmented all their other praise And now t' increase affection naturall In loue of Canacee they ioyned all Vpon which ground this same great battell grew Great matter growing of beginning small The which for length I will not here pursew But rather will reserue it for a Canto new Cant. III. The battell twixt three brethren with Cambell for Canacee Cambina with true friendships bond doth their long strife agree O Why doe wretched men so much desire To draw their dayes vnto the vtmost date And doe not rather wish them soone expire Knowing the miserie of their estate And thousand perills which them still awate Tossing them like a boate amid the mayne That euery houre they knocke at deathes gate And he that happie seemes and least in payne Yet is as nigh his end as he that most doth playne Therefore this Fay I hold but fond and vaine The which in seeking for her children three Long life thereby did more prolong their paine Yet whilest they liued none did euersee More happie creatures then they seem'd to bee Nor more ennobled for their courtesie That made them dearely lou'd of each degree Ne more renowmed for their cheualrie That made them dreaded much of all men farre and nie These three that hardie chalenge tooke in hand For Canacee with Cambell for to fight The day was set that all might vnderstand And pledges pawnd the same to keepe a right That day the dreddest day that liuing wight Did euer see vpon this world to shine So soone as heauens window shewed light These warlike Champions all in armour shine Assembled were in field the chalenge to define The field with listes was all about enclos'd To barre the prease of people farre away And at th' one side sixe iudges were dispos'd To view and deeme the deedes of armes that day And on the other side in fresh aray Fayre Canacee vpon a stately stage Was set to see the fortnne of that fray And to be seene as his most worthie wage That could her purchase with his liues aduentur'd gage Then entred Cambell first into the list With stately steps and fearelesse countenance As if the conquest his he surely wist Soone after did the brethren three aduance In braue aray and goodly amenance With scutchins gilt and banners broad displayd And marching thrise in warlike ordinance Thrise lowted lowly to the noble Mayd The whiles shril trompets loud clarions sweetly playd Which doen the doughty chalenger came forth All arm'd to point his chalenge to abet Gainst whom Sir Priamond with equall worth And equall armes himselfe did forward set A trompet blew they both together met With dreadfull force and furious intent Carelesse of perill in their fiers affret As if that life to losse they had forelent And cared not to spare that should be shortly spent Right practicke was Sir Priamond in fight And throughly skild in vse of shield and speare Ne lesse approued was Cambelloes might Ne lesse his sill in weapons did appeare That hard it was to weene which harder were Full many mightie strokes on either side Were sent that seemed death in them to beare But they were both so watchfull and well eyde That they auoyded were and vainely by did slyde Yet one of many was so strongly bent By Priamond that with vnluckie glaunce Through Cambels shoulder it vnwarely went That forced him his shield to disaduaunce Much was he grieued with that gracelesse chaunce Yet from the wound no drop of bloud there fell But wondrous paine that did the more enhaunce His haughtie courage to aduengement fell Smart daunts not mighty harts but makes them more to swell With that his poynant speare he fierce auentred With doubled force close vnderneath his shield That through the mayles into his thigh it entred And there arresting readie way did yield For bloud to gush forth on the grassie field That he for paine himselfe not right vpreare But too and fro in great amazement reel'd Like an old Oke whose pith and sap is seare At puffe of euery storme doth stagger here and theare Whom so dismayd when Cambell had espide Againe he droue at him with double might That nought mote stay the steele till in his side The mortall point most cruelly empight Where fast infixed whilest he sought by slight It forth to wrest the staffe a sunder brake And left the head behind with which despight He all enrag'd his shiuering speare did shake And charging him a fresh thus felly him bespake Lo faitour there thy meede vnto thee take The meede of thy mischalenge and abet Not for thine owne but for thy sisters sake Haue I thus long thy life vnto thee let But to forbeare doth not forgiue the det The wicked weapon heard his wrathfull vow And passing forth with furious affret Pierst through his beuer quite into his brow That with the force it backward forced him to bow Therewith a sunder in the midst it brast And in his hand nought but the troncheon left The other halfe behind yet sticking fast Out of his headpeece Cambell fiercely rest And with such furie backe at him it heft That making way vnto his dearest life His weasand pipe it through his gorget cleft Thence streames of purple bloud issuing rife Let forth his wearie ghost and made an end of strife His wearie ghost assoyld from fleshly band Did not as others wont directly fly Vnto her rest in Plutoes griesly land Ne into ayre did vanish presently Ne chaunged was into a starre in sky But through traduction was eftsoones deriued Like as his mother prayd the Destinie Into his other brethren that suruiued In whom he liu'd a new of former life depriued Whom when on ground his brother next beheld Though sad and sorie for so heauy sight Yet leaue vnto his sorrow did not yeeld But rather stird to vengeance and despight Through secret feeling of his generous spright Rusht fiercely forth the battell to renew As in reuersion of his brothers right And chalenging the Virgin as his dew His foe was soone addrest the trompets freshly
stricken beene He forced was to strike and saue him selfe from teene Yet from thenceforth more warily he fought As one in feare the Stygian gods t' offend Ne followd on so fast but rather sought Him selfe to saue and daunger to defend Then life and labour both in vaine to spend Which Triamond perceiuing weened sure He gan to faint toward the battels end And that he should not long on foote endure A signe which did to him the victorie assure Whereof full blith eftsoones his mightie hand He heav'd on high in mind with that same blow To make an end of all that did withstand Which Cambell seeing come was nothing slow Him selfe to saue from that so deadly throw And at that instant reaching forth his sweard Close vnderneath his shield that scarce did show Stroke him as he his hand to strike vpreard In th'arm-pit full that through both sides the wound appeard Yet still that direfull stroke kept on his way And falling heauie on Cambelloes crest Strooke him so hugely that in swowne he lay And in his head an hideous wound imprest And sure had it not happily found rest Vpon the brim of his brode plated shield It would haue cleft his braine downe to his brest So both at once fell dead vpon the field And each to other seemd the victorie to yield Which when as all the lookers on beheld They weened sure the warre was at an end And Iudges rose and Marshals of the field Broke vp the listes their armes away to rend And Canacee gan wayle her dearest frend All suddenly they both vpstarted light The one out of the swownd which him did blend The other breathing now another spright And fiercely each assayling gan afresh to fight Long while they then continued in that wize As if but then the battell had begonne Strokes wounds wards weapons all they did despise Ne either car'd to ward or perill shonne Desirous both to haue the battell donne Ne either cared life to saue or spill Ne which of them did winne ne which were wonne So wearie both of fighting had their fill That life it selfe seemd loathsome and long safetie ill Whilst thus the case in doubtfull ballance hong Vnsure to whether side it would incline And all mens eyes and hearts which there among Stood gazing filled were with rufull tine And secret feare to see their fatall fine All suddenly they heard a troublous noyes That seemd some perilous tumult to desine Confusd with womens cries and shouts of boyes Such as the troubled Theaters oftimes annoyes Thereat the Champions both stood still a space To weeten what that sudden clamour ment Lo where they spyde with speedie whirling pace One in a charet of straunge furniment Towards them driuing like a storme out sent The charet decked was in wondrous wize With gold and many a gorgeous ornament After the Persian Monarks antique guize Such as the maker selfe could best by art deuize And drawne it was that wonder is to tell Of two grim lyons taken from the wood In which their powre all others did excell Now made forget their former cruell mood T' obey their riders hest as seemed good And therein sate a Ladie passing faire And bright that seemed borne of Angels brood And with her beautie bountie did compare Whether of them in her should haue the greater share Thereto she learned was in Magicke leare And all the artes that subtill wits discouer Hauing therein bene trained many a yeare And well instructed by the Fay her mother That in the same she farre exceld all other Who vnderstanding by her mightie art Of th' euill plight in which her dearest brother Now stood came forth in hast to take his part And pacifie the strife which causd so deadly smart And as she passed through th'vnruly preace Of people thronging thicke her to behold Her angrie teame breaking their bonds of peace Great heapes of them like sheepe in narrow fold For hast did ouer-runne in dust enrould That thorough rude confusion of the rout Some fearing shriekt some being harmed hould Some laught for sport some did for wonder shout And some that would seeme wise their wonder turnd to dout In her right hand a rod of peace shee bore About the which two Serpents weren wound Entrayled mutually in louely lore And by the tailes together firmely bound And both were with one oliue garland crownd Like to the rod which Maias sonne doth wield Wherewith the hellishfiends he doth confound And in her other hand a cup she hild The which was with Nepenthe to the brim vpfild Nepenthe is a drinck of souerayne grace Deuized by the Gods for to asswage Harts grief and bitter gall away to chace Which stirs vp anguish and contentious rage In stead thereof sweet peace and quiet age It doth establish in the troubled mynd Few men but such as sober are and sage Are by the Gods to drinck thereof assynd But such as drinck eternall happinesse do fynd Such famous men such worthies of the earth As loue will haue aduaunced to the skie And there made gods though borne of mortall berth For their high merits and great dignitie Are wont before they may to heauen flie To drincke hereof whereby all cares forepast Are washt away quite from their memorie So did those olde Heroes hereof taste Before that they in blisse amongst the Gods were plaste Much more of price and of more gratious powre Is this then that same water of Ardenne The which Rinaldo drunck in happie howre Described by that famous Tuscane penne With whom he ledd a long and happie life And Cambel tooke Cambina to his fere The which as life were each to other liefe So all alike did loue and loued were That since their days such louers were not found elswere Cant. IIII. Satyrane makes a Turneyment For loue of Florimell Britomart winnes the prize from all And Artegall doth quell IT often fals as here it earst befell That mortall foes doe turne to faithfull frends And friends profest are chaungd to foemen fell The cause of both of both their minds depends And th' end of both likewise of both their ends For enmitie that of no ill proceeds But of occasion with th' occasion ends And friendship which a faint affection breeds Without regard of good dyes like ill grounded seeds That well me seemes appeares by that oflate Twixt Camhell and Sir Triamond befell As els by this that now a new debate Stird vp twixt Scudamour and Paridell The which by course befals me here to tell Who hauing those two other Knights espide Marching afore as ye remember well Sent forth their Squire to haue them both descride And eke those masked Ladies riding them beside Who backe returning told as he had seene That they were doughtie knights of dreaded name And those two Ladies their two loues vnseene And therefore wisht them without blot or blame To let them passe at will for dread of shame But Blandamour full of vainglorious spright And rather
it would dissemble And fayned still her former angry mood Thinking to hide the depth by troubling of the flood When Glauce thus gan wisely all vpknit Ye gentle Knights whom fortune here hath brought To be spectators of this vncouth fit Which secret fate hath in this Ladie wrought Against the course of kind ne meruaile nought Ne thenceforth feare the thing that hethertoo Hath troubled both your mindes with idle thought Fearing least she your loues away should woo Feared in vaine sith meanes ye see there wants theretoo And you Sir Artegall the saluage knight Henceforth may not disdaine that womans hand Hath conquered you anew in second fight For whylome they haue conquerd sea and land And heauen it selfe that nought may them withstand Ne henceforth be rebellious vnto loue That is the crowne of knighthood and the band Of noble minds deriued from aboue Which being knit with vertue neuer will remoue And you faire Ladie knight my dearest Dame Relent the rigour of your wrathfull will Whose fire were better turn'd to other flame And wiping out remembrance of all ill Graunt him your grace but so that he fulfill The penance which ye shall to him empart For louers heauen must passe by sorrowes hell Thereat full inly blushed Britomart But Artegall close smyling ioy'd in secret hart Yet durst he not make loue so suddenly Ne thinke th' affection of her hart to draw From one to other so quite contrary Besides her modest countenance he saw So goodly graue and full of princely aw That it his ranging fancie did refraine And looser thoughts to lawfull bounds withdraw Whereby the passion grew more fierce and faine Like to a stubborne steede whom strong hand would restraine But Scudamour whose hart twixt doubtfull feare And feeble hope hung all this while suspence Desiring of his Amoret to heare Some gladfull newes and sure intelligence Her thus bespake But Sir without offence Mote I request you tydings of my loue My Amoret sith you her freed fro thence Where she captiued long great woes did proue That where ye left I may her seeke as doth behoue To whom thus Britomart certes Sir knight What is of her become or whether rest I can not vnto you aread a right For from that time I from enchaunters theft Her freed in which ye her all hopelesse left I her preseru'd from perill and from feare And euermore from villenie her kept Ne euer was there wight to me more deare Then she ne vnto whom I more true loue did beare Till on a day as through a desert wyld We trauelled both wearie of the way We did alight and sate in shadow myld Where fearelesse I to sleepe me downe did lay But when as I did out of sleepe abray I found her not where I her left whyleare But thought she wandred was or gone astray I cal'd her loud I so ught her farre and neare But no where could her find nor tydings of her heare When Scudamour those heauie tydings heard His hart was thrild with point of deadly feare Ne in his face or bloud or life appeard But senselesse stood like to a mazed steare That yet of mortall stroke the stound doth beare Till Glauce thus Faire Sir be nought dismayd With needelesse dread till certaintie ye heare For yet she may be safe though somewhat strayd It s best to hope the best though of the worst affrayd Nathlesse he hardly of her chearefull speech Did comfort take or in his troubled sight Shew'd change of better cheare so sore a breach That sudden newes had made into his spright Till Britomart him fairely thus behight Great cause of sorrow certes Sir ye haue But comfort take for by this heauens light I vow you dead or liuing not to leaue Till I her find and wreake on him that her did reaue Therewith he rested and well pleased was So peace being confirm'd amongst them all They tooke their steeds and forward thence did pas Vnto some resting place which mote befall All being guided by Sir Artegall Where goodly solace was vnto them made And dayly feasting both in bowre and hall Vntill that they their wounds well healed had And wearie limmes recur'd after late vsage bad In all which time Sir Artegall made way Vnto the loue of noble Britomart And with meeke seruice and much suit did lay Continuall siege vnto her gentle hart Which being whylome launcht with louely dart More eath was new impression to receiue How euer she her paynd with womanish art To hide her wound that none might it pereciue Vaine is the art that seekes it selfe for to deceiue So well he woo'd her and so well he wrought her With faire entreatie and sweet blandishment That at the length vnto a bay he brought her So as she to his speeches was content To lend an eare and softly to relent At last through many vowes which forth he pour'd And many othes she yeelded her consent To be his loue and take him for her Lord Till they with mariage meet might finish that accord Tho when they had long time there taken rest Sir Artegall who all this while was bound Vpon an hard aduenture yet in quest Fit time for him thence to depart it found To follow that which he did long propound And vnto her his congee came to take But her therewith full sore displeasd he found And loth to leaue her late betrothed make Her dearest loue full loth so shortly to forsake Yet he with strong perswasions her asswaged And wonne her will to suffer him depart For which his faith with her he fast engaged And thousand vowes from bottome of his hart That all so soone as he by wit or art Could that atchieue whereto he did aspire He vnto her would speedily reuert No longer space thereto he did desire But till the horned moone three courses did expire With which she for the present was appeased And yeelded leaue how euer malcontent She inly were and in her mind displeased So early in the morrow next he went Forth on his way to which he was ybent Ne wight him to attend or way to guide As whylome was the custome ancient Mongst Knights when on aduentures they did ride Saue that she algates him a while accompanide And by the way she sundry purpose found Of this or that the time for to delay And of the perils whereto he was bound The feare whereof seem'd much her to affray But all she did was but to weare out day Full oftentimes she leaue of him did take And eft againe deuiz'd some what to say Which she forgot whereby excuse to make So loth she was his companie for to forsake At last when all her speeches she had spent And new occasion fayld her more to find She left him to his fortunes gouernment And backe returned with right heauie mind To Scudamour who she had left behind With whom she went to seeke faire Amoret Her second care though in another kind For vertues onely sake which doth
beget True loue and faithfull friendship she by her did set Backe to that desert forrest they retyred Where sorie Britomart had lost her late There they her sought and euery where inquired Where they might tydings get of her estate Yet found they none But by what haplesse fate Or hard misfortune she was thence conuayd And stolne away from her beloued mate Were long to tell therefore I here will stay Vntill another tyde that I it finish may Cant. VII Amoret rapt by greedie lust Belphebe saues from dread The Squire her loues and being blam'd his dayes in dole doth lead GReat God of loue that with thy cruell dart Doest conquer greatest conquerors on ground And setst thy kingdome in the captiue harts Of Kings and Keasars to thy seruice bound What glorie or what guerdon hast thou found In feeble Ladies tyranning so sore And adding anguish to the bitter wound With which their liues thou lanchedst long afore By heaping stormes of trouble on them daily more So whylome didst thou to faire Florimell And so and so to noble Britomart So doest thou now to her of whom I tell The louely Amoret whose gentle hart Thou martyrest with sorow and with smart In saluage forrests and in deserts wide With Beares and Tygers taking heauie part Withouten comfort and withouten guide That pittie is to heare the perils which she tride So soone as she with that braue Britonesse Had left that Turneyment for beauties prise They trauel'd long that now for wearinesse Both of the way and warlike exercise Both through a forest ryding did deuise T' alight and rest their wearie limbs awhile There heauie sleepe the eye-lids did surprise Of Britomart after long tedious toyle That did her passed paines in quiet rest assoyle The whiles faire Amoret of nought affeard Walkt through the wood for pleasure or for need When suddenly behind her backe she heard One rushing forth out of the thickest weed That ere she backe could turne to taken heed Had vnawares her snatched vp from ground Feebly she shriekt but so feebly indeed That Britomart heard not the shrilling sound There where through weary trauel she lay sleeping soūd It was to weet a wilde and saluage man Yet was no man but onely like in shape And eke in stature higher by a span All ouer growne with haire that could awhape An hardy hart and his wide mouth did gape With huge great teeth like to a Bore For he liu'd all on rauin and on rape Of men and beasts and fed on fleshly gore The signe whereof yet stain'd his bloudy lips afore His neather lip was not like man nor beast But like a wide deepe poke downe hanging low In which he wont the relickes of his feast And cruell spoyle which he had spard to stow And ouer it his huge great nose did grow Full dreadfully empurpled all with bloud And downe both sides two wide long eares did glow And raught downe to his waste when vp he stood More great then th' eares of Elephants by Indus flood His wast was with a wreath of yuie greene Engirt about ne other garment wore For all his haire was like a garment seene And in his hand a tall young oake he bore Whose knottie snags were sharpned all afore And beath'd in fire for steele to be in sted But whence he was or of what wombe ybore Of beasts or of the earth I haue not red But certes was with milke of Wolues and Tygres fed This vgly creature in his armes her snatcht And through the forrest bore her quite away With briers and bushes all to rent and scratcht Ne care he had ne pittie of the pray Which many a knight had sought so many a day He stayed not but in his armes her bearing Ran till he came to th' end of all his way Vnto his caue farre from all peoples hearing And there he threw her in nought feeling ne nought fearing For she deare Ladie all the way was dead Whilest he in armes her bore but when she felt Her selfe downe soust she waked out of dread Streight into griefe that her deare hart nigh swelt And eft gan into tender teares to melt Then when she lookt about and nothing found But darknesse and dread horrour where she dwelt She almost fell againe into a swound Ne wist whether aboue she were or vnder ground With that she heard some one close by her side Sighing and sobbing sore as if the paine Her tender hart in peeces would diuide Which she long listning softly askt againe What mister wight it was that so did plaine To whom thus aunswer'd was Ah wretched wight That seekes to know anothers griefe in vaine Vnweeting of thine owne like haplesse plight Selfe to forget to mind another is ouersight Aye me said she where am I or with whom Emong the liuing or emong the dead What shall of me vnhappy maid become Shall death be th' end or ought else worse aread Vnhappy mayd then answerd she whose dread Vntride is lesse then when thou shalt it try Death is to him that wretched life doth lead Both grace and gaine but he in hell doth lie That liues a loathed life and wishing cannot die This dismall day hath thee a caytiue made And vassall to the vilest wretch aliue Whose cursed vsage and vngodly trade The heauens abhorre and into darkenesse driue For on the spoile of women he doth liue Whose bodies chast when euer in his powre He may them catch vnable to gainestriue He with his shamefull lust doth first deflowre And afterwards themselues doth cruelly deuoure Now twenty daies by which the sonnes of men Diuide their works haue past through heuen sheene Since I was brought into this dolefull den During which space these sory eies haue seen Seauen women by him slaine and eaten clene And now no more for him but I alone And this old woman here remaining beene Till thou cam'st hither to augment our mone And of vs three to morrow he will sure eate one Ah dreadfull tidings which thou doest declare Quoth she of all that euer hath bene knowen Full many great calamities and rare This feeble brest endured hath but none Equall to this where euer I haue gone But what are you whom like vnlucky lot Hath linckt with me in the same chaine attone To tell quoth she that which ye see needs not A wofull wretched maid of God and man forgot But what I was it irkes me to reherse Daughter vnto a Lord of high degree That ioyd in happy peace till fates peruerse With guilefull loue did secretly agree To ouerthrow my state and dignitie It was my lot to loue a gentle swaine Yet was he but a Squire of low degree Yet was he meet vnlesse mine eye did faine By any Ladies side for Leman to haue laine But for his meannesse and disparagement My Sire who me too dearely well did loue Vnto my choise by no meanes would assent But often did my folly fowle reproue Yet nothing could my fixed mind
they fell out And each one taking part in others aide This cruell conflict raised thereabout Whose dangerous successe depended yet in dout For sometimes Paridell and Blandamour The better had and bet the others backe Eftsoones the others did the field recoure And on their foes did worke full cruell wracke Yet neither would their fiendlike fury slacke But euermore their malice did augment Till that vneath they forced were for lacke Of breath their raging rigour to relent And rest themselues for to recouer spirits spent Their gan they change their sides and new parts take For Paridell did take to Druons side For old despight which now forth newly brake Gainst Blandamour whom alwaies he enuide And Blandamour to Claribell relide So all afresh gan former fight renew As when two Barkes this caried with the tide That with the wind contrary courses sew If wind and tide doe change their courses change anew Thenceforth they much more furiously gan fare As if but then the battell had begonne Ne helmets bright ne hawberks strong did spare That through the clifts the vermeil bloud out sponne And all adowne their riuen sides did ronne Such mortall malice wonder was to see In friends profest and so great outrage donne But sooth is said and tride in each degree Faint friends when they fall out most cruell fomen bee Thus they long while continued in fight Till Scudamour and that same Briton maide By fortune in that place did chance to light Whom soone as they with wrathfull eie bewraide They gan remember of the fowle vpbraide The which that Britonesse had to them donne In that late Turney for the snowy maide Where she had them both shamefully fordonne And eke the famous prize of beauty from them wonne Eftsoones all burning with a fresh desire Of fell reuenge in their malicious mood They from them selues gan turne their furious ire And cruell blades yet steeming with whot bloud Against those two let driue as they were wood Who wondring much at that so sodaine fit Yet nought dismayd them stoutly well withstood Ne yeelded foote ne once abacke did flit But being doubly smitten likewise doubly smit The warlike Dame was on her part assaid Of Claribell and Blandamour attone And Paridell and Druon fiercely laid At Scudamour both his professed fone Foure charged two and two surcharged one Yet did those two them selues so brauely beare That the other litle gained by the lone But with their owne repayred duely weare And vsury withall such gaine was gotten deare Full oftentimes did Britomart assay To speake to them and some emparlance moue But they for nought their cruell hands would stay Ne lend an eare to ought that might behoue As when an eager mastiffe once doth proue The tast of bloud of some engored beast No words may rate nor rigour him remoue From greedy hold of that his blouddy feast So litle did they hearken to her sweet beheast Whom when the Briton Prince a farre beheld With ods of so vnequall match opprest His mighty heart with indignation fweld And inward grudge fild his heroicke brest Eftsoones him selfe he to their aide addrest And thrusting fierce into the thickest preace Diuided them how euer loth to rest And would them faine from battell to surceasse With gentle words perswading them to friendly peace But they so farre from peace or patience were That all at once at him gan fiercely flie And lay on load as they him downe would beare Like to astorme which houers vnder skie Long here and there and round about doth stie At length breakes downe in raine and haile and sleet First from one coast till nought thereof be drie And then another till that likewise fleet And so from side to side till all the world it weet But now their forces greatly were decayd The Prince yet being fresh vntoucht afore Who them with speaches milde gan first disswade From such foule outrage and them long forbore Till seeing them through suffrance hartned more Him selfe he bent their furies to abate And layd at them so sharpely and so sore That shortly them compelled to retrate And being brought in daunger to relent too late But now his courage being throughly fired He ment to make them know their follies prise Had not those two him instantly desired T' asswage his wrath and pardon their mesprise At whose request he gan him selfe aduise To stay his hand and of a truce to treat In milder tearmes as list them to deuise Mongst which the cause of their so cruell heat He did them aske who all that passed gan repeat And told at large how that same errant Knight To weet faire Britomart them late had foyled In open turney and by wrongfull fight Both of their publicke praise had them despoyled And also of their priuate loues beguyled Of two full hard to read the harder theft But she that wrongfull challenge soone assoyled And shew'd that she had not that Lady reft As they supposd but her had to her liking left To whom the Prince thus goodly well replied Certes sir Knight ye seemen much to blame To rip vp wrong that battell once hath tried Wherein the honor both of Armes ye shame And eke the loue of Ladies foule defame To whom the world this franchise euer yeelded That of their loues choise they might freedom clame And in that right should by all knights be shielded Gainst which me seemes this war ye wrongfully haue wielded And yet quoth she a greater wrong remaines For I thereby my former loue haue lost Whom seeking euer since with endlesse paines Hath me much sorrow and much trauell cost Aye me to see that gentle maide so tost But Scudamour then sighing deepe thus saide Certes her losse ought me to sorrow most Whose right she is where euer she be straide Through many perils wonne and many fortunes waide For from the first that I her loue profest Vnto this houre this present lucklesse howre I neuer ioyed happinesse nor rest But thus turmoild from one to other stowre I wast my life and doe my daies deuowre In wretched anguishe and incessant woe Passing the measure of my feeble powre That liuing thus a wretch I and louing so I neither can my loue ne yet my life forgo Then good sir Claribell him thus bespake Now were it not sir Scudamour to you Dislikefull paine so sad a taske to take Mote we entreat you sith this gentle crew Is now so well accorded all anew That as we ride together on our way Ye will recount to vs in order dew All that aduenture which ye did assay For that faire Ladies loue past perils well apay So gan the rest him likewise to require But Britomart did him importune hard To take on him that paine whose great desire He glad to satisfie him selfe prepar'd To tell through what misfortune he had far'd In that atchieuement as to him befell And all those daungers vnto them declar'd Which sith they cannot in this Canto well Comprised be
I will them in another tell Cant. X. Scudamour doth his conqust tell Of vertuous Amoret Great Venus Temple is describ'd And louers life forth set TRue he it said what euer man it sayd That loue with gall and hony doth abound But if the one be with the other wayd For euery dram of hony therein found A pound of gall doth ouer it redound That I too true by triall haue approued For since the day that first with deadly wound My heart was launcht and learned to haue loued I neuer ioyed howre but still with care was moued And yet such grace is giuen them from aboue That all the cares and euill which they meet May nought at all their setled mindes remoue But seeme gainst common sence to them most sweet As bosting in their martyrdome vnmeet So all that euer yet I haue endured I count as naught and tread downe vnder feet Since of my loue at length I rest assured That to disloyalty she will not be allured Long were to tell the trauell and long toile Through which this shield of loue I late haue wonne And purchased this peerelesse beauties spoile That harder may be ended then begonne But since ye so desire your will be donne Then hearke ye gentle knights and Ladies free My hard mishaps that ye may learne to shonne For though sweet loue to conquer glorious bee Yet is the paine thereof much greater then the fee. What time the fame of this renowmed prise Flew first abroad and all mens eares possest I hauing armes then taken gan auise To winne me honour by some noble gest And purchase me some place amongst the best I boldly thought so young mens thoughts are bold That this same braue emprize for me did rest And that both shield and she whom I behold Might be my lucky lot sith all by lot we hold So on that hard aduenture forth I went And to the place of perill shortly came That was a temple faire and auncient Which of great mother Venus bare the name And farre renowmed through exceeding fame Much more then that which was in Paphos built Or that in Cyprus both long since this same Though all the pillours of the one were guilt And all the others pauement were with yuory spilt And it was seated in an Island strong Abounding all with delices most rare And wall'd by nature gainst inuaders wrong That none mote haue accesse nor inward fare But by one way that passage did prepare It was a bridge ybuilt in goodly wize With curious Corbes and pendants grauen faire And arched all with porches did arize On stately pillours fram'd after the Doricke guize And for defence thereof on th' other end There reared was a castle faire and strong That warded all which in or out did wend And flancked both the bridges sides along Gainst all that would it faine to force or wrong And therein wonned twenty valiant Knights All twenty tride in warres experience long Whose office was against all nanner wights By all meanes to maintaine that castels ancients rights Before that Castle was an open plaine And in the midst thereof a piller placed On which this shield of many sought in vaine The shield of Loue whose guerdon me hath graced Was hangd on high with golden ribbands laced And in the marble stone was written this With golden letters goodly well enchaced Blessed the man that well can vse his blis VVhos 's euer be the shield faire Amoret be his Which when I red my heart did inly earne And pant with hope of that aduentures hap Ne stayed further newes thereof to learne But with my speare vpon the shield did rap That all the castle ringed with the clap Streight forth issewd a Knight all arm'd to proofe And brauely mounted to his most mishap Who staying nought to question from aloofe Ran fierce at me that fire glaunst from his horses hoofe Whom boldly I encountred as I could And by good fortune shortly him vnseated Eftsoones out sprung two more of equall mould But I them both with equall hap defeated So all the twenty I likewise entreated And left them groning there vpon the plaine Then preacing to the pillour I repeated The read thereof for guerdon of my paine And taking downe the shield with me did it retaine So forth without impediment I past Till to the Bridges vtter gate I came The which I found sure lockt and chained fast I knockt but no man aunswred me by name I cald but no man answerd to my clame Yet I perseuer'd still to knocke and call Till at the last I spide within the same Where one stood peeping through a creuis small To whom I cald aloud halfe angry therewithall That was to weet the Porter of the place Vnto whose trust the charge thereof was lent His name was Doubt that had a double face Th' one forward looking th' other backeward bent Therein resembling Ianus auncient Which hath in charge the ingate of the yeare And euermore his eyes about him went As if some proued perill he did feare Or did misdoubt some ill whose cause did not appeare On th' one side he on th' other sate Delay Behinde the gate that none her might espy Whose manner was all passengers to stay And entertaine with her occasions sly Through which some lost great hope vnheedily Which neuer they recouer might againe And others quite excluded forth did ly Long languishing there in vnpittied paine And seeking often entraunce afterwards in vaine Me when as he had priuily espide Bearing the shield which I had conquerd late He kend it streight and to me opened wide So in I past and streight he closd the gate But being in Delay in close awaite Caught hold on me and thought my steps to stay Feigning full many a fond excuse to prate And time to steale the threasure of mans day Whose smallest minute lost no riches render may But by no meanes my way I would forslow For ought that euer she could doe or say But from my lofty steede dismounting low Past forth on foote beholding all the way The goodly workes and stones of rich assay Cast into sundry shapes by wondrous skill That like on earth no where I recken may And vnderneath the riuer rolling still With murmure soft that seem'd to serue the workmans will Thence forth I passed to the second gate The Gate of good desert whose goodly pride And costly frame were long here to relate The same to all stoode alwaies open wide But in the Porch did euermore abide An hideous Giant dreadfull to behold That stopt the entraunce with his spacious stride And with the terrour of his countenance bold Full many did affray that else faine enter would His name was Daunger dreaded ouer all Who day and night did watch and duely ward From fearefull cowards entrance to forstall And faint-heart-fooles whom shew of perill hard Could terrifie from Fortunes faire adward For oftentimes faint hearts at first espiall Of his grim face were from approaching
scard Vnworthy they of grace whom one deniall Excludes from fairest hope withouten further triall Yet many doughty warriours often tride In greater perils to bestout and bold Durst not the sternnesse of his looke abide But soone as they his countenance did behold Began to faint and feele their corage cold Againe some other that in hard assaies Were cowards knowne and litle count did hold Either through gifts or guile or such like waies Crept in by stouping low or stealing of the kaies But I though nearest man of many moe Yet much disdaining vnto him to lout Or creepe betweene his legs so in to goe Resolu'd him to assault with manhood stout And either beat him in or driue him out Eftsoones aduauncing that enchaunted shield With all my might I gan to lay about Which when he saw the glaiue which he did wield He gan forthwith t'auale and way vnto me yield So as I entred I did backeward looke For feare of harme that might lie hidden there And loe his hindparts whereof heed I tooke Much more deformed fearefull vgly were Then all his former parts did earst appere For hatred murther treason and despight With many moe lay in ambushment there Awayting to entrap the warelesse wight Which did not them preuent with vigilant foresight Thus hauing past all perill I was come Within the compasse of that Islands space The which did seeme vnto my simple doome The onely pleasant and delightfull place That euer troden was of footings trace For all that nature by her mother wit Could frame in earth and forme of substance base Was there and all that nature did omit Art playing second natures part supplyed it No tree that is of count in greenewood growes From lowest Iuniper to Ceder tall No flowre in field that daintie odour throwes And deckes his branch with blossomes ouer all But there was planted or grew naturall Nor sense of man so coy and curious nice But there mote find to please it selfe withall Nor hart could wish for any queint deuice But there it present was and did fraile sense entice In such luxurious plentie of all pleasure It seem'd a second paradise to bee So lauishly enricht with natures threasure That if the happie soules which doe possesse Th' Elysian fields and liue in lasting blesse Should happen this with liuing eye to see They soone would loath their lesser happinesse And wish to life return'd againe to ghesse That in this ioyous place they mote haue ioyance free Fresh shadowes fit to shroud from sunny ray Faire lawnds to take the sunne in season dew Sweet springs in which a thousand Nymphs did play Soft rombling brookes that gentle slomber drew High reared mounts the lands about to vew Low looking dales disloignd from common gaze Delightfull bowres to solace louers trew False Labyrinthes fond runners eyes to daze All which by nature made did nature selfe amaze And all without were walkes and all eyes dight With diuers trees enrang'd in euen rankes And here and there were pleasant arbors pight And shadie seates and sundry flowring bankes To sit and rest the walkers wearie shankes And therein thousand payres of louers walkt Praysing their god and yeelding him great thankes Ne euer ought but of their true loues talkt Ne euer for rebuke or blame of any balkt All these together by themselues did sport Their spotlesse pleasures and sweet loues content But farre away from these another sort Of louers lincked in true harts consent Which loued not as these for like intent But on chast vertue grounded their desire Farre from all fraud or fayned blandishment Which in their spirits kindling zealous fire Braue thoughts and noble deedes did euermore aspire Such were great Hercules and Hyllus deare Trew Ionathan and Dauid trustie tryde Stout Theseus and Pirithous his feare Pylades and Orestes by his syde Myld Titus and Gesippus without pryde Damon and Pythias whom death could not seuer All these and all that euer had bene tyde In bands of friendship there did liue for euer Whose liues although decay'd yet loues decayed neuer Which when as I that neuer tasted blis Nor happie howre beheld with gazefull eye I thought there was none other heauen then this And gan their endlesse happinesse enuye That being free from feare and gealosye Might frankely there their loues desire possesse Whilest I through paines and perlous ieopardie Was forst to seeke my lifes deare patronesse Much dearer be the things which come through hard distresse Yet all those sights and all that else I saw Might not my steps withhold but that forthright Vnto that purposd place I did me draw Where as my loue was lodged day and night The temple of great Venus that is hight The Queene of beautie and of loue the mother There worshipped of euery liuing wight Whose goodly workmanship farre past all other That euer were on earth all were they set together Not that same famous Temple of Diane Whose hight all Ephesus did ouersee And which all Asia sought with vowes prophane One of the worlds seuen wonders sayd to bee Might match with this by many a degree Nor that which that wise King of Iurie framed With endlesse cost to be th' Almighties see Nor all that else through all the world is named To all the heathen Gods might like to this be clamed I much admyring that so goodly frame Vnto the porch approcht which open stood But therein sate an amiable Dame That seem'd to be of very sober mood And in her semblant shewed great womanhood Strange was her tyre for on her head a crowne She wore much like vnto a Danisk hood Poudred with pearle and stone and all her gowne Enwouen was with gold that taught full low a downe On either side of her two young men stood Both strongly arm'd as fearing one another Yet were they brethren both of halfe the blood Begotten by two fathers of one mother Though of contrarie natures each to other The one of them hight Loue the other Hate Hate was the elder Loue the younger brother Yet was the younger stronger in his state Then th' elder and him maystred still in all debate Nathlesse that Dame so well them tempted both That she them forced hand to ioyne in hand Albe that Hatred was thereto full loth And turn'd his face away as he did stand Vnwilling to behold that louely band Yet she was of such grace and vertuous might That her commaundment he could notwithstand But bit his lip for felonous despight And gnasht his yron tuskes at that displeasing sight Concord she cleeped was in common reed Mother of blessed Peace and Friendship trew They both her twins both borne of heauenly seed And she her selfe likewise diuinely grew The which right well her workes diuine did snew For strength and wealth and happinesse she lends And strife and warre and anger does subdew Of litle much of foes she maketh frends And to afflicted minds sweet rest and quiet sends By her the heauen is in his
course contained And all the world in state vnmoued stands As their Almightie maker first ordained And bound them with inuiolable bands Else would the waters ouerflow the lands And fire deuoure the ayre and hell them quight But that she holds them with her blessed hands She is the nourse of pleasure and delight And vnto Venus grace the gate doth open right By her I entring halfe dismayed was But she in gentle wise me entertayned And twixt her selfe and loue did let me pas But Hatred would my entrance haue restrayned And with his club me threatned to haue brayned Had not the Ladie with her powrefull speach Him from his wicked will vneath refrayned And th' other eke his malice did empeach Till I was throughly past the perill of his reach Into the inmost Temple thus I came Which fuming all with frankensence I found And odours rising from the altars flame Vpon an hundred marble pillors round The roose vp high was reared from the ground All deckt with crownes chaynes and girlands gay And thousand pretious gifts worth many a pound The which sad louers for their vowes did pay And all the ground was strow'd with flowres as fresh as may An hundred Altars round about were set All flaming with their sacrifices fire That with the steme thereof die Temple swet Which rould in clouds to heauen did aspire And in them bore true louers vowes entire And eke an hundred brasen caudrons bright To bath in ioy and amorous desire Euery of which was to a damzell hight For all the Priests were damzels in soft linnen dight Right in the midst the Goddesse selfe did stand Vpon an altar of some costly masse Whose substance was vneath to vnderstand For neither pretious stone nor durefull brasse Nor shining gold nor mouldring clay it was But much more rare and pretious to esteeme Pure in aspect and like to christall glasse Yet glasse was not if one did rightly deeme But being faire and brickle likest glasse did seeme But it in shape and beautie did excell All other Idoles which the heathen adore Farre passing that which by surpassing skill Phidias did make in Paphos Isle of yore With which that wretched Greeke that life forlore Did fall in loue yet this much fairer shined But couered with a slender veile afore And both her feete and legs together twyned Were with a snake whose head tail were fast cōbyned The cause why she was couered with a vele Was hard to know for that her Priests the same From peoples knowledge labour'd to concele But sooth it was not sure for womanish shame Nor any blemish which the worke mote blame But for they say she hath both kinds in one Both male and female both vnder one name She syre and mother is her selfe alone Begets and eke conceiues ne needeth other none And all about her necke and shoulders flew A flocke of litle loues and sports and ioyes With nimble wings of gold and purple hew Whose shapes seem'd not like to terrestriall boyes But like to Angels playing heauenly toyes The whilest their eldest brother was away Cupid their eldest brother he enioyes The wide kingdome of loue with Lordly sway And to his law compels all creatures to obay And all about her altar scattered lay Great sorts of louers piteously complayning Some of their losse some of their loues delay Some of their pride some paragons disdayning Some fearing fraud some fraudulently fayning As euery one had cause of good or ill Amongst the rest some one through loues constrayning Tormented sore could not containe it still But thus brake forth that all the temple it did fill Great Venus Queene of beautie and of grace The ioy of Gods and men that vnder skie Doest fayrest shine and most adorne thy place That with thy smyling looke doest pacifie The raging seas and makst the stormes to flie Thee goddesse thee the winds the clouds doe feare And when thou spredst thy mantle forth on hie The waters play and pleasant lands appeare And heauens laugh al the world shews ioyous cheare Then doth the daedale earth throw forth to thee Out of her fruitfull lap aboundant flowres And then all liuing wights soone as they see The spring breake forth out of his lusty bowres They all doe learne to play the Paramours First doe the merry birds thy prety pages Priuily pricked with thy lustfull powres Chirpe loud to thee out of their leauy cages And thee their mother call to coole their kindly rages Then doe the saluage beasts begin to play Their pleasant friskes and loath their wanted food The Lyons rore the Tygres loudly bray The raging Buls rebellow through the wood And breaking forth dare tempt the deepest flood To come where thou doest draw them with desire So all things else that nourish vitall blood Soone as with fury thou doest them inspire In generation seeke to quench their inward fire So all the world by thee at first was made And dayly yet thou doest the same repayre Ne ought on earth that merry is and glad Ne ought on earth that louely is and fayre But thou the same for pleasure didst prepayre Thou art the root of all that ioyous is Great God of men and women queene of th' ayre Mother of laughter and welspring of blisse O graunt that of my loue at last I may not misse So did he say but I with murmure soft That none might heare the sorrow of my hart Yet inly groning deepe and sighing oft Besought her to graunt ease vnto my smart And to my wound her gratious help impart Whilest thus I spake behold with happy eye I spyde where at the Idoles feet apart A beuie of fayre damzels close did lye Wayting when as the Antheme should be sung on hye The first of them did seeme of ryper yeares And grauer countenance then all the rest Yet all the rest were eke her equall peares Yet vnto her obayed all the best Her name was VVomanhood that she exprest By her sad semblant and demeanure wyse For stedfast still her eyes did fixed rest Ne rov'd at randon after gazers guyse Whose luring baytes oftimes doe heedlesse harts entyse And next to her sate goodly Shamefastnesse Ne euer durst her eyes from ground vpreare Ne euer once did looke vp from her desse As if some blame of euill she did feare That in her cheekes made roses oft appeare And her against sweet Cherefulnesse was placed Whose eyes like twinkling stars in euening cleare Were deckt with smyles that all sad humors chaced And darted forth delights the which her goodly graced And next to her sate sober Modestie Holding her hand vpon her gentle hart And her against sate comely Curtesie That vnto euery person knew her part And her before was seated ouerthwart Soft Silence and submisse Obedience Both linckt together neuer to dispart Both gifts of God not gotten but from thence Both girlonds of his Saints against their foes offence Thus sate they all a round in seemely rate And in
that same fatall read That warned him of womens loue beware Which being ment of mortall creatures sead For loue of Nymphes she thought she need not care But promist him what euer wight she weare That she her loue to him would shortly gaine So he her told but soone as she did heare That Florimell it was which wrought his paine She gan a fresh to chafe and grieue in euery vaine Yet since she saw the streight extremitie In which his life vnluckily was layd It was no time to scan the prophecie Whether old Proteus true or false had sayd That his decay should happen by a mayd It 's late in death of daunger to aduize Or loue forbid him that is life denayd But rather gan in troubled mind deuize How she that Ladies libertie might enterprize To Proteus selfe to sew she thought it vaine Who was the root and worker of her woe Nor vnto any meaner to complaine But vnto great king Neptune selfe did goe And on her knee before him falling lowe Made humble suit vnto his Maiestie To graunt to her her sonnes life which his foe A cruell Tyrant had presumpteouslie By wicked doome condemn'd a wretched death to die To whom God Neptune softly smyling thus Daughter me seemes of double wrong ye plaine Gainst one that hath both wronged you and vs For death t'adward I ween'd did appertaine To none but to the seas sole Soueraine Read therefore who it is which this hath wrought And for what cause the truth discouer plaine For neuer wight so euill did or thought But would some rightfull cause pretend though rightly nought To whom she answerd Then it is by name Proteus that hath ordayn'd my sonne to die For that a waist the which by fortune came Vpon your seas he claym'd as propertie And yet nor his nor his in equitie But yours the waift by high prerogatiue Therefore I humbly craue your Maiestie It to repleuie and my sonne repriue So shall you by one gift saue all vs three aliue He graunted it and streight his warrant made Vnder the Sea-gods seale autenticall Commaunding Proteus straight t' enlarge the mayd Which wandring on his seas imperiall He lately tooke and sithence kept as thrall Which she receiuing with meete thankefulnesse Departed straight to Proteus therewithall Who reading it with inward loathfulnesse Was grieued to restore the pledge he did possesse Yet durst he not the warrant to withstand But vnto her deliuered Florimell Whom she receiuing by the lilly hand Admyr'd her beautie much as she mote well For she all liuing creatures did excell And was right ioyous that she gotten had So faire a wife for her sonne Marinell So home with her she streight the virgin lad And shewed her to him then being sore bestad Who soone as he beheld that angels face Adorn'd with all diuine perfection His cheared heart eftsoones away gan chace Sad death reuiued with her sweet inspection And feeble spirit inly felt refection As withered weed through cruell winters tine That feeles the warmth of sunny beames reflection Liftes vp his head that did before decline And gins to spread his leafe before the faire sunshine Right so himselfe did Marinell vpreare When he in place his dearest loue did spy And though his limbs could not his bodie beare Ne former strength returne so suddenly Yet chearefull signes he shewed outwardly Ne lesse was she in secret hart affected But that she masked it with modestie For feare she should of lightnesse be detected Which to another place I leaue to be perfected THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Contayning THE LEGEND OF ARTEGALL OR OF IVSTICE SO oft as I with state of present time The image of the antique world compare When as mans age was in his freshest prime And the first blossome of faire vertue bare Such oddes I finde twixt those and these which are As that through long continuance of his course Me seemes die world is runne quite out of square From the first point of his appointed sourse And being once amisse growes daily wourse and wourse For from the golden age that first was named It 's now at earst become a stonie one And men themselues the which at first were framed Of earthly mould and form'd of flesh and bone Are now transformed into hardest stone Such as behind their backs so backward bred Were throwne by Pyrrha and Deucalione And if then those may any worse be red They into that ere long will be degendered Let none then blame me if in discipline Of vertue and of ciuill vses lore I doe not forme them to the common line Of present dayes which are corrupted sore But to the antique vse which was of yore When good was onely for it selfe desyred And all men sought their owne and none no more When Iustice was not for most meed outhyred But simple Truth did rayne and was of all admyred For that which all men then did vertue call Is now cald vice and that which vice was hight Is now hight vertue and so vs'd of all Right now is wrong and wrong that was is right As all things else in time are chaunged quight Ne wonder for the heauens reuolution Is wandred farre from where it first was pight And so doe make contrarie constitution Of all this lower world toward his dissolution For who so list into the heauens looke And search the courses of the rowling spheares Shall find that from the point where they first tooke Their setting forth in these few thousand yeares They all are wandred much that plaine appeares For that same golden fleecy Ram which bore Phrixus and Helle from their stepdames feares Hath now forgot where he was plast of yore And shouldred hath the Bull which fayre Europa bore And eke the Bull hath with his bow-bent horne So hardly butted those two twinnes of Ioue That they haue crusht the Crab and quite him borne Into the great Nemoean lions groue So now all range and doe at randon roue Out of their proper places farre away And all this world with them amisse doe moue And all his creatures from their course astray Till they arriue at their last ruinous decay Ne is that same great glorious lampe of light That doth enlumine all these lesser fyres In better case ne keepes his course more right But is miscaried with the other Spheres For since the terme of fourteene hundred yeres That learned Ptolomaee his hight did take He is declyned from that marke of theirs Nigh thirtie minutes to the Southerne lake That makes me feare in time he will vs quite forsake And if to those Aegyptian wisards old Which in Star-read were wont haue best insight Faith may be giuen it is by them told That since the time they first tooke the Sunnes hight Foure times his place he shifted hath in sight And twice hath risen where he now doth West And wested twice where he ought rise aright But mostis Mars amisse of all the rest And next to him old Saturne
time the warlike Amazon Whose wandring fancie after lust did raunge Gan cast a secret liking to this captiue straunge Which long concealing in her couert brest She chaw'd the cud of louers carefull plight Yet could it not so thoroughly digest Being fast fixed in her wounded spright But it tormented her both day and night Yet would she not thereto yeeld free accord To serue the lowly vassall of her might And of her seruant make her souerayne Lord So great her pride that she such basenesse much abhord So much the greater still her anguish grew Through stubborne handling of her loue-sicke hart And still the more she stroue it to subdew The more she still augmented her owne smart And wyder made the wound of th'hidden dart At last when long she struggled had in vaine She gan to stoupe and her proud mind conuert To meeke obeysance of loues mightie raine And him entreat for grace that had procur'd her paine Vnto her selfe in secret she did call Her nearest handmayd whom she most did trust And to her said Clarinda whom of all I trust a liue sith I thee fostred first Now is the time that I vntimely must Thereof make tryall in my greatest need It is so hapned that the heauens vniust Spighting my happie freedome haue agreed To thrall my looser life or my last bale to breed With that she turn'd her head as halfe abashed To hide the blush which in her visage rose And through her eyes like sudden lightning flashed Decking her cheeke with a vermilion rose But soone she did her countenance compose And to her turning thus began againe This griefes deepe wound I would to thee disclose Thereto compelled through hart-murdring paine But dread of shame my doubtfull lips doth still restraine Ah my deare dread said then the faithfull Mayd Can dread of ought your dreadlesse hart withhold That many hath with dread of death dismayd And dare euen deathes most dreadfull face behold Say on my souerayne Ladie and be bold Doth not your handmayds life at your foot lie Therewith much comforted she gan vnfold The cause of her conceiued maladie As one that would confesse yet faine would it denie Clarin sayd she thou seest yond Fayry Knight Whom not my valour but his owne braue mind Subiected hath to my vnequall might What right is it that he should thraldome find For lending life to me a wretch vnkind That for such good him recompence with ill Therefore I cast how I may him vnbind And by his freedome get his free goodwill Yet so as bound to me he may continue still bound vnto me but not with such hard bands Of strong compulsion and streight violence As now in miserable state he stands But with sweet loue and sure beneuolence Voide of malitious mind or foule offence To which if thou canst win him any way Without discouerie of my thoughts pretence Both goodly meede of him it purchase may And eke with gratefull seruice me right well apay Which that thou mayst the better bring to pas Loe here this ring which shall thy warrant bee And token true to old Eumenias From time to time when thou it best shalt see That in and out thou mayst haue passage free Goe now Clarinda well thy wits aduise And all thy forces gather vnto thee Armies of louely lookes and speeches wise With which thou canst euen Ioue himselfe to loue entise The trustie Mayd conceiuing her intent Did with sure promise of her good indeuour Giue her great comfort and some harts content So from her parting she thenceforth did labour By all the meanes she might to curry fauour With th'Elfin Knight her Ladies best beloued With daily shew of courteous kind behauiour Euen at the markewhite of his hart she roued And with wide glauncing words one day she thus him proued Vnhappie Knight vpon whose hopelesse state Fortune enuying good hath felly frowned And cruell heauens haue heapt an heauy fate I rew that thus thy better dayes are drowned In sad despaire and all thy senses swowned In stupid sorow sith thy iuster merit Might else haue with felicitie bene crowned Looke vp at last and wake thy dulled spirit To thinke how this long death thou mightest disinherit Much did he maruell at her vncouth speach Whose hidden drift he could not well perceiue And gan to doubt least she him sought t'appeach Of treason or some guilefull traine did weaue Through which she might his wretched life bereaue Both which to barre he with this answere met her Faire Damzell that with ruth as I perceaue Of my mishaps art mou'd to wish me better For such your kind regard I can but rest your detter Yet weet ye well that to a courage great It is no lesse beseeming well to beare The storme of fortunes frowne or heauens threat Then in the sunshine of her countenance cleare Timely to ioy and carrie comely cheare For though this cloud haue now me ouercast Yet doe I not of better times despeyre And though vnlike they should for euer last Yet in my truthes assurance I rest fixed fast But what so stonie mind she then replyde But if in his owne powre occasion lay Would to his hope a windowe open wyde And to his fortunes helpe make readie way Vnworthy sure quoth he of better day That will not take the offer of good hope And eke pursew if he attaine it may Which speaches she applying to the scope Of her intent this further purpose to him shope Then why doest not thou ill aduized man Make meanes to win thy libertie forlorne And try if thou by faire entreatie can Moue Radigund who though she still haue worne Her dayes in warre yet weet thou was not borne Of Beares and Tygres nor so saluage mynded As that albe all loue of men she scorne She yet forgets that she of men was kynded And sooth oft seene that proudest harts base loue hath blynded Certes Clarinda not of cancred will Sayd he nor obstinate disdainefull mind I haue forbore this duetie to fulfill For well I may this weene by that I fynd That she a Queene and come of Princely kynd Both worthie is for to be sewd vnto Chiefely by him whose life her law doth bynd And eke of powre her owne doome to vndo And al 's of princely grace to be inclyn'd thereto But want of meanes hath bene mine onely let From seeking fauour where it doth abound Which if I might by your good office get I to your selfe should rest for euer bound And readie to deserue what grace I found She feeling him thus bite vpon the bayt Yet doubting least his hold was but vnsound And not well fastened would not strike him strayt But drew him on with hope fit leasure to awayt But foolish Mayd whyles heedlesse of the hooke She thus oft times was beating off and on Through slipperie footing fell into the brooke And there was caught to her confusion For seeking thus to salue the Amazon She wounded was with her deceipts owne
dart And gan thenceforth to cast affection Conceiued close in her beguiled hart To Artegall through pittie of his causelesse smart Yet durst she nop disclose her fancies wound Ne to himselfe for doubt of being sdayned Ne yet to any other wight on ground For feare her mistresse shold haue knowledge gayned But to her selfe it secretly retayned Within the closet of her couert brest The more thereby her tender hart was payned Yet to awayt fit time she weened best And fairely did dissemble her sad thoughts vnrest One day her Ladie calling her apart Can to demaund of her some tydings good Touching her loues successe her lingring smart Therewith she gan at first to change her mood As one adaw'd and halfe confused stood But quickly she it ouerpast so soone As she her face had wypt to fresh her blood Tho gan she tell her all that she had donne And all the wayes she sought his loue for to haue wonne But sayd that he was obstinate and sterne Scorning her offers and conditions vaine Ne would be taught withany termes to lerne So fond a lesson as to loue againe Die rather would he in penurious paine And his abridged dayes in dolour wast Then his foes loue or liking entertaine His resolution was both first and last His bodie was her thrall his hart was freely plast Which when the cruell Amazon perceiued She gan to storme and rage and rend her gall For very fell despight which she conceiued To be so scorned of a base borne thrall Whose life did lie in her least eye-lids fall Of which she vow'd with many a cursed threat That she therefore would him ere long forstall Nathlesse when calmed was her furious heat She chang'd that threatfull mood mildly gan entreat What now is left Clarinda what remaines That we may compasse this our enterprize Great shame to lose so long employed paines And greater shame t' abide so great misprize With which he dares our offers thus despize Yet that his guilt the greater may appeare And more my gratious mercie by this wize I will a while with his first folly beare Till thou haue tride againe tempted him more neare Say and do all that may thereto preuaile Leaue nought vnpromist that may him perswade Life freedome grace and gifts of great auaile With which the Gods themselues are mylder made Thereto adde art euen womens witty trade The art of mightie words that men can charme With which in case thou canst him not inuade Let him feele hardnesse of thy heauie arme Who will not stoupe with good shall be made stoupe with harme Some of his diet doe from him withdraw For I him find to be too proudly fed Giue him more labour and with streighter law That he with worke may be forwearied Let him lodge hard and lie in strawen bed That may pull downe the courage of his pride And lay vpon him for his greater dread Cold yron chaines with which let him be tide And let what euer he desires be him denide When thou hast all this doen then bring me newes Of his demeane thenceforth notlike a louer But like a rebell stout I will him vse For I resolue this siege not to giue ouer Till I the conquest of my will recouer So she departed full of griefe and sdaine Which inly did to great impatience moue her But the false mayden shortly turn'd againe Vnto the prison where her hart did thrall remaine There all her subtill nets she did vnfold And all the engins of her wit display In which she meant him warelesse to enfold And of his innocence to make her pray So cunnningly she wrought her crafts assay That both her Ladie and her selfe withall And eke the knight attonce she did betray But most the knight whom she with guilefull call Did cast for to allure into her trap to fall As a bad Nurse which fayning to receiue In her owne mouth the food ment for her chyld Withholdes it to her selfe and doeth deceiue The infant so for want of nourture spoyld Euen so Clarinda her owne Dame beguyld And turn'd the trust which was in her affyde To feeding of her priuate fire which boyld Her inward brest and in her entrayles fryde The more that she it sought to couer and to hyde For comming to this knight she purpose fayned How earnest suit she earst for him had made Vnto her Queene his freedome to haue gayned But by no meanes could her thereto perswade But that in stead thereof she sternely bade His miserie to be augmented more And many yron bands on him to lade All which nathlesse she for his loue forbore So praying him t' accept her seruice euermore And more then that she promist that she would In case she might finde fauour in his eye Deuize how to enlarge him out of hould The Fayrie glad to gaine his libertie Can yeeld great thankes for such her curtesie And with faire words fit for the time and place To feede the humour of her maladie Promist if she would free him from that case He wold by all good means he might deserue such grace So daily he faire semblant did her shew Yet neuer meant he in his noble mind To his owne absent loue to be vntrew Ne euer did deceiptfull Clarin find In her false hart his bondage to vnbind But rather how she mote him faster tye Therefore vnto her mistresse most vnkind She daily told her loue he did defye And him she told her Dame his freedome did denye Yet thus much friendship she to him did show That his scarse diet somewhat was amended And his worke lessened that his loue mote grow Yet to her Dame him still she discommended That she with him mote be the more offended Thus he long while in thraldome there remayned Of both beloued well but litle frended Vntill his owne true loue his freedome gayned Which in an other Canto will be best contayned Cant. VI. Talus brings newes to Britomart of Artegals mishap She goes to seeke him Dolon meetes who seekes her to entrap SOme men I wote will deeme in Artegall Great weaknesse and report of him much ill For yeelding so himselfe a wretched thrall To th' insolent commaund of womens will That all his former praise doth fowly spill But he the man that say or doe so dare Be well aduiz'd that he stand stedfast still For neuer yet was wight so well aware But he at first or last was trapt in womens snare Yet in the streightnesse of that captiue state This gentle knight himselfe so well behaued That notwithstanding all the subtill bait With which those Amazons his loue still craued To his owne loue his loialtie he saued Whose character in th'Adamantine mould Of his true hart so firmely was engraued That no new loues impression euer could Bereaue it thence such blot his honour blemish should Yet his owne loue the noble Britomart Scarse so conceiued in her iealous thought What time sad tydings of his balefull smart In womans bondage
hideous tempest seemed from below To rise through all the Temple sodainely That from the Altar all about did blow The holy fire and all the embers strow Vppon the ground which kindled priuily Into outragious flames vnwares did grow That all the Temple put in ieopardy Of flaming and her selfe in great perplexity With that the Crocodile which sleeping lay Vnder the Idols feete in fearelesse bowre Seem'd to awake in horrible dismay As being troubled with that stormy stowre And gaping greedy wide did streight deuoure Both flames and tempest with which growen great And swolne with pride of his owne peerelesse powre He gan to threaten her likewise to eat But that the Goddesse with her rod him backe did beat Tho turning all his pride to humblesse meeke Him selfe before her feete he lowly threw And gan for grace and loue of her to seeke Which she accepting he so neare her drew That of his game she soone enwombed grew And forth did bring a Lion of great might That shortly did all other beasts subdew With that she waked full of fearefull fright And doubtfully dismayd through that so vncouth sight So thereuppon long while she musing lay With thousand thoughts feeding her fantasie Vntill she spide the lampe of lightsome day Vp-lifted in the porch of heauen hie Then vp she rose fraught with melancholy And forth into the lower parts did pas Whereas the Priestes she found full busily About their holy things for morrow Mas Whom she saluting faire faire resaluted was But by the change of her vnchearefull looke They might perceiue she was not well in plight Or that some pensiuenesse to heart she tooke Therefore thus one of them who seem'd in sight To be the greatest and the grauest wight To her bespake Sir Knight it seemes to me That thorough euill rest of this last night Or ill apayd or much dismayd ye be That by your change of cheare is easie for to see Certes sayd she sith ye so well haue spide The troublous passion of my pensiue mind I will not seeke the same from you to hide But will my cares vnfolde in hope to find Your aide to guide me out of errour blind Say on quoth he the secret of your hart For by the holy vow which me doth bind I am adiur'd best counsell to impart To all that shall require my comfort in their smart Then gan she to declare the whole discourse Of all that vision which to her appeard As well as to her minde it had recourse All which when he vnto the end had heard Like to a weake faint-hearted man he fared Through great astonishment of that strange sight And with long locks vp-standing stifly stared Like one adawed with some dreadfull spright So fild with heauenly fury thus he her behight Magnificke Virgin that in queint disguise Of British armes doest maske thy royall blood So to pursue a perillous emprize How coulst thou weene through that disguized hood To hide thy state from being vnderstood Can from th' immortall Gods ought hidden bee They doe thy linage and thy Lordly brood They doe thy sire lamenting sore for thee They doe thy loue forlorne in womens thraldome see The end whereof and all the long euent They doe to thee in this same dreame discouer For that same Crocodile doth represent The righteous Knight that is thy faithfull louer Like to Osyris in all iust endeuer For that same Crocodile Osyris is That vnder Isis feete doth sleepe tor euer To shew that clemence oft in things amis Restraines those sterne behests and cruell doomes of his That Knight shall all the troublous stormes asswage And raging flames that many foes shall reare To hinder thee from the iust heritage Of thy sires Crowne and from thy countrey deare Then shalt thou take him to thy loued fere And ioyne in equall portion of thy realme And afterwards a sonne to him shalt beare That Lion-like shall shew his powre extreame So blesse thee God and giue thee ioyance of thy dreame All which when she vnto the end had heard She much was eased in her troublous thought And on those Priests bestowed rich reward And royall gifts of gold and siluer wrought She for a present to their Goddesse brought Then taking leaue of them she forward went To seeke her loue where he was to be sought Ne rested till she came without relent Vnto the land of Amazons as she was bent Whereof when newes to Radigund was brought Not with amaze as women wonted bee She was confused in her troublous thought But fild with courage and with ioyous glee As glad to heare of armes the which now she Had long surceast she bad to open bold That she the face of her new foe might see But when they of that yron man had told Which late her folke had slaine she bad thē forth to hold So there without the gate as seemed best She caused her Pauilion be pight In which stout Britomart her selfe did rest Whiles Talus watched at the dore all night All night likewise they of the towne in fright Vppon their wall good watch and ward did keepe The morrow next so soone as dawning light Bad doe away the dampe of drouzie sleepe The warlike Amazon out of her bowre did peepe And caused streight a Trumpet loud to shrill To warne her foe to battell soone be prest Who long before awoke for she ful ill Could sleepe all night that in vnquiet brest Did closely harbour such a iealous guest Was to the battell whilome ready dight Eftsoones that warriouresse with haughty crest Did forth issue all ready for the fight On th' other side her foe appeared soone in sight But ere they reared hand the Amazone Began the streight conditions to propound With which she vsed still to tye her fone To serue her so as she the rest had bound Which when the other heard she sternly frownd For high disdaine of such indignity And would no lenger treat but bad them sound For her no other termes should euer tie Then what prescribed were by lawes of cheualrie The Trumpets sound and they together run With greedy rage and with their faulchins smot Ne either sought the others strokes to shun But through great fury both their skill forgot And practicke vse in armes ne spared not Their dainty parts which nature had created So faire and tender without staine or spot For other vses then they them translated Which they now hackt hewd as if such vse they hated As when a Tygre and a Lionesse Are met at spoyling of some hungry pray Both challenge it with equall greedinesse But first the Tygre clawes thereon did lay And therefore loth to loose her right away Doth in defence thereof full stoutly stond To which the Lion strongly doth gainesay That she to hunt the beast first tooke in hond And therefore ought it haue where euer she it fond Full fiercely layde the Amazon about And dealt her blowes vnmercifully sore Which Britomart withstood with courage stout
anon And is behinde me trodden downe of Scorne Who mocketh all my paine laughs the more I mourn The Infant hearkned wisely to her tale And wondred much at Cupids iudg'ment wise That could so meekly make proud hearts auale And wreake him selfe on them that him despise Then suffred he Disdaine vp to arise Who was not able vp him selfe to reare By meanes his leg through his late luckelesse prise Was crackt in twaine but by his foolish feare Was holpen vp who him supported standing neare But being vp he lookt againe aloft As if he neuer had receiued fall And with sterne eye-browes stared at him oft As if he would haue daunted him with all And standing on his tiptoes to seeme tall Downe on his golden feete he often gazed As if such pride the other could apall Who was so far from being ought amazed That he his lookes despised and his boast dispraized Then turning backe vnto that captiue thrall Who all this while stood there beside them bound Vnwilling to be knowne or seene at all He from those bands weend him to haue vnwound But when approching neare he plainely found It was his owne true groome the gentle Squire He thereat wext exceedingly astound And him did oft embrace and oft admire Ne could with seeing satisfie his great desire Meane while the Saluage man when he beheld That huge great foole oppressing th' other Knight Whom with his weight vnweldy downe he held He flew vpon him like a greedy kight Vnto some carrion offered to his sight And downe him plucking with his nayles and teeth Gan him to hale and teare and scratch and bite And from him taking his owne whip therewith So sore him scourgeth that the bloud downe followeth And sure I weene had not the Ladies cry Procur'd the Prince his cruell hand to stay He would with whipping him haue done to dye But being checkt he did abstaine streight way And let him rise Then thus the Prince gan say Now Lady sith your fortunes thus dispose That if ye list haue liberty ye may Vnto your selfe I freely leaue to chose Whether I shall you leaue or from these villaines lose Ah nay Sir Knight sayd she it may not be But that I needes must by all meanes fulfill This penaunce which enioyned is to me Least vnto me betide a greater ill Yet no lesse thankes to you for your good will So humbly taking leaue she turnd aside But Arthure with the rest went onward still On his first quest in which did him betide A great aduenture which did him from them deuide But first it falleth me by course to tell Of faire Serena who as earst you heard When first the gentle Squire at variaunce fell With those two Carles fled fast away afeard Of villany to be to her inferd So fresh the image of her former dread Yet dwelling in her eye to her appeard That euery foote did tremble which did tread And euery body two and two she foure did read Through hils dales through bushes through breres Long thus she fled till that at last she thought Her selfe now past the perill of her feares Then looking round about and seeing nought Which doubt of daunger to her offer mought She from her palfrey lighted on the plaine And sitting downe her selfe a while bethought Of her long trauell and turmoyling paine And often did of loue and oft of lucke complaine And euermore she blamed Calepine The good Sir Calepine her owne true Knight As th' onely author of her wofull tine For being of his loue to her so light As her to leaue in such a piteous plight Yet neuer Turtle truer to his make Then he was tride vnto his Lady bright Who all this while endured for her sake Great perill of his life and restlesse paines did take Tho when as all her plaints she had displayd And well disburdened her engrieued brest Vpon the grasse her selfe adowne she layd Where being tyrde with trauell and opprest With sorrow she betooke her selfe to rest There whilest in Morpheus bosome safe she lay Fearelesse of ought that mote her peace molest False Fortune did her safety betray Vnto a straunge mischaunce that menac'd her decay In these wylde deserts where she now abode There dwelt a saluage nation which did liue Of stealth and spoile and making nightly rode Into their neighbours borders ne did giue Them selues to any trade as for to driue The painefull plough or cattell for to breed Or by aduentrous marchandize to thriue But on the labours of poore men to feed And serue their owne necessities with others need Thereto they vsde one most accursed order To eate the flesh of men whom they mote fynde And straungers to deuoure which on their border Were brought by errour or by wreckfull wynde A monstrous cruelty gainst course of kynde They towards euening wandring euery way To seeke for booty came by fortune blynde Whereas this Lady like a sheepe astray Now drowned in the depth of sleepe all fearelesse lay Soone as they spide her Lord what gladfull glee They made amongst them selues but when her face Like the faire yuory shining they did see Each gan his fellow solace and embrace For ioy of such good hap by heauenly grace Then gan they to deuize what course to take Whether to slay her there vpon the place Or suffer her out of her sleepe to wake And then her eate attonce or many meales to make The best aduizement was of bad to let her Sleepe out her fill without encomberment For sleepe they sayd would make her battill better Then when she wakt they all gaue one consent That since by grace of God she there was sent Vnto their God they would her sacrifize Whose share her guiltlesse bloud they would present But of her dainty flesh they did deuize To make a common feast feed with gurmandize So round about her they them selues did place Vpon the grasse and diuersely dispose As each thought best to spend the lingring space Some with their eyes the daintest morsels chose Some praise her paps some praise her lips and nose Some whet their kniues and strip their elboes bare The Priest him selfe a garland doth compose Of finest flowres and with full busie care His bloudy vessels wash and holy fire prepare The Damzell wakes then all attonce vpstart And round about her flocke like many flies Whooping and hallowing on euery part As if they would haue rent the brasen skies Which when she sees with ghastly griefful eies Her heart does quake and deadly pallid hew Benumbes her cheekes Then out aloud she cries Where none is nigh to heare that will her rew And rends her golden locks and snowy brests embrew But all bootes not they hands vpon her lay And first they spoile her of her iewls deare And afterwards of all her rich array The which amongst them they in peeces teare And of the pray each one a part doth beare Now being naked to their sordid eyes The goodly
which I mote not see Thus did the courteous Knight excuse his blame And to recomfort him all comely meanes did frame In such discourses they together spent Long time as fit occasion forth them led With which the Knight him selfe did much content And with delight his greedy fancy fed Both of his words which he with reason red And also of the place whose pleasures rare With such regard his sences rauished That thence he had no will away to fare But wisht that with that shepheard he mote dwelling share But that enuenimd sting the which of yore His poysnous point deepe fixed in his hart Had left now gan afresh to rancle sore And to renue the rigour of his smart Whch to recure no skill of Leaches art Mote him auaile but to returne againe To his wounds worker that with louely dart Dinting his brest had bred his restlesse paine Like as the wounded Whale to shore flies frō the maine So taking leaue of that same gentle swaine He backe returned to his rusticke wonne Where his faire Pastorella did remaine To whome in sort as he at first begonne He daily did apply him selfe to donne All dewfull seruice voide of thoughts impare Ne any paines ne perill did he shonne By which he might her to his loue allure And liking in her yet vntamed heart procure And euermore the shepheard Coridon What euer thing he did her to aggrate Did striue to match with strong contention And all his paines did closely emulate Whether it were to caroll as they sate Keeping their sheepe or games to exercize Or to present her with their labours late Through which if any grace chaunst to arize To him the Shepheard streight with iealousie did frize One day as they all three together went To the greene wood to gather strawberies There chaunst to them a dangerous accident A Tigre forth out of the wood did rise That with fell clawes full of fierce gourmandize And greedy mouth wide gaping like hell gate Did runne at Pastorell her to surprize Whom she beholding now all desolate Gan cry to them aloud to helpe her all too late Which Coridon first hearing ran in hast To reskue her but when he saw the feend Through cowherd feare he fled away as fast Ne durst abide the daunger of the end His life he steemed dearer then his frend But Calidore soone comming to her ayde When he the beast saw ready now to rend His loues deare spoile in which his heart was prayde He ran at him enraged in stead of being frayde He had no weapon but his shepheards hooke To serue the vengeaunce of his wrathfull will With which so sternely he the monster strooke That to the ground astonished he fell Whence ere he could recour he did him quell And hewing off his head it presented Before the feete of the faire Pastorell Who scarcely yet from former feare exempted A thousand times him thankt that had her death preuented From that day forth she gan him to affect And daily more her fauour to augment But Coridon for cowherdize reiect Fit to keepe sheepe vnfit for loues content The gentle heart scornes base disparagement Yet Calidore did not despise him quight But vsde him friendly for further intent That by his fellowship he colour might Both his estate and loue from skill of any wight So well he wood her and so well he wrought her With humble seruice and with daily sute That at the last vnto his will he brought her Which he so wisely well did prosecute That of his loue he reapt the timely frute And ioyed long in close felicity Till fortune fraught with malice blinde and brute That enuies louers long prosperity Blew vp a bitter storme of foule aduersity It fortuned one day when Calidore Was hunting in the woods as was his trade A lawlesse people Brigants hight of yore That neuer vsde to liue by plough nor spade But fed on spoile and booty which they made Vpon their neighbours which did nigh them border The dwelling of these shepheards did inuade And spoyld their houses and them selues did murder And droue away their flocks with other much disorder Amongst the rest the which they then did pray They spoyld old Melibee of all he had And all his people captiue led away Mongst which this lucklesse mayd away was lad Faire Pastorella sorrowfull and sad Most sorrowfull most sad that euer sight Now made the spoile of theeues and Brigants bad Which was the conquest of the gentlest Knight That euer liu'd and th' onely glory of his might With them also was taken Coridon And carried captiue by those theeues away Who in the couert of the night that none Mote them descry nor reskue from their pray Vnto their dwelling did them close conuay Their dwelling in a little Island was Couered with shrubby woods in which no way Appeard for people in nor out to pas Nor any footing fynde for ouergrowen gras For vnderneath the ground their way was made Through hollow caues that no man mote discouer For the thicke shrubs which did them alwaies shade From view of liuing wight and couered ouer But darkenesse dred and daily night did houer Through all the inner parts wherein they dwelt Ne ligntned was with window nor with louer But with continuall candlelight which delt A doubtfull sense of things not so well seene as felt Hither those Brigants brought their present pray And kept them with continuall watch and ward Meaning so soone as they conuenient may For slaues to sell them for no small reward To merchants which them kept in bondage hard Or sold againe Now when faire Pastorell Into this place was brought and kept with gard Of griesly theeues she thought her self in hell Where with such damned fiends she should in darknesse dwell But for to tell the dolefull dreriment And pittifull complaints which there she made Where day and night she nought did but lament Her wretched life shut vp in deadly shade And waste her goodly beauty which did fade Like to a flowre that feeles no heate of sunne Which may her feeble leaues with comfort glade But what befell her in that theeuish wonne Will in an other Canto better be begonne Cant. XI The theeues fall out for Pastorell VVhilest Melibee is slaine Her Calidore from them redeemes And bringeth backe againe THe ioyes of loue if they should euer last Without affliction or disquietnesse That worldly chaunces doe amongst them cast Would be on earth too great a blessednesse Liker to heauen then mortall wretchednesse Therefore the winged God to let men weet That here on earth is no sure happinesse A thousand sowres hath tempred with one sweet To make it seeme more deare and dainty as is meet Like as is now befalne to this faire Mayd Faire Pastorell of whom is now my song Who being now in dreadfull darknesse layd Amongst those theeues which her in bondage strong Detaynd yet Fortune not with all this wrong Contented greater mischiefe on her threw And
shepheards weeds agreeably And both with shepheards hookes But Calidore Had vnderneath him armed priuily Tho to the place when they approched nye They chaunst vpon an hill not farre away Some flockes of sheepe and shepheards to espy To whom they both agreed to take their way In hope there newes to learne how they mote best assay There did they find that which they did not feare The selfe same flocks the which those theeues had reft From Meliboe and from themseles whyleare And certaine of the theeues there by them left The which for want of heards themselues then kept Right well knew Coridon his owne late sheepe And seeing them for tender pittie wept But when he saw the theeues which did them keepe His hart gan fayle albe he saw them all asleepe But Calidore recomforting his griefe Though not his feare for nought may feare disswade Him hardly forward drew whereas the thiefe Lay sleeping soundly in the bushes shade Whom Coridon him counseld to inuade Now all vnwares and take the spoyle away But he that in his mind had closely made A further purpose would not so them slay But gently waking them gaue them the time of day Tho sitting downe by them vpon the greene Of sundrie things he purpose gan to faine That he by them might certaine tydings weene Of Pastorell were she aliue or slaine Mongst which the theeues them questioned againe What mister men and eke from whence they were To whom they answer'd as did appertaine That they were poore heardgroomes the which whylere Had frō their maisters fled now sought hyre elswhere Whereof right glad they seem'd and offer made To hyre them well if they their flockes would keepe For they themselues were euill groomes they sayd Vnwont with heards to watch or pasture sheepe But to forray the land or scoure the deepe Thereto they soone agreed and earnest tooke To keepe their flockes for litle hyre and chepe For they for better hyre did shortly looke So there all day they bode till light the sky forsooke Tho when as towards darksome night it drew Vnto their hellish dens those theeues them brought Where shortly they in great acquaintance grew And all the secrets of their entrayles sought There did they find contrarie to their thought That Pastorell yet liu'd but all the rest Were dead right so as Coridon had taught Whereof they both full glad and blyth did rest But chiefly Calidore whom griefe had most possest At length when they occasion fittest found In dead of night when all the theeues did rest After a late forray and slept full sound Sir Calidore him arm'd as he thought best Hauing of late by diligent inquest Prouided him a sword of meanest sort With which he streight went to the Captaines nest But Coridon durst not with him consort Ne durst abide behind for dread of worse effort When to the Caue they came they found it fast But Calidore with huge resistlesse might The dores assayled and the locks vpbrast With noyse whereof the theefe awaking light Vnto the entrance ran where the bold knight Encountring him with small resistance slew The whiles faire Pastorell through great affright Was almost dead misdoubting least of new Some vprore were like that which lately she did vew But when as Calidore was comen in And gan aloud for Pastorell to call Knowing his voice although not heard long sin She sudden was reuiued therewithall And wondrous ioy felt in her spirits thrall Like him that being long in tempest tost Looking each houre into deathes mouth to fall At length espyes at hand the happie cost On which he safety hopes that earst feard to be lost Her gentle hart that now long season past Had neuer ioyance felt nor chearefull thought Began some smacke of comfort new to tast Like lyfull heat to nummed senses brought And life to feele that long for death had sought Ne lesse in hart reioyced Calidore When he her found but like to one distraught And robd of reason towards her him bore A thousand times embrast and kist a thousand more But now by this with noyse of late vprore The hue and cry was raysed all about And all the Brigants flocking in great store Vnto the caue gan preasse nought hauing dout Of that was doen and entred in a rout But Calidore in th' entry close did stand And entertayning them with courage stout Still slew the formost that came first to hand So long till all the entry was with bodies mand Tho when no more could nigh to him approch He breath'd his sword and rested him till day Which when he spyde vpon the earth t' encroch Through the dead carcases he made his way Mongst which he found a sword of better say With which he forth went into th' open light Where all the rest for him did readie stay And fierce assayling him with all their might Gan all vpon him lay there gan a dreadfull fight How many flyes in whottest sommers day Do seize vpon some beast whose flesh is bare That all the place with swarmes do ouerlay And with their litle stings right felly fare So many theeues about him swarming are All which do him assayle on euery side And sore oppresse ne any him doth spare But he doth with his raging brond diuide Their thickest troups round about him scattreth wide Like as a Lion mongst an heard of dere Disperseth them to catch his choysest pray So did he fly amongst them here and there And all that nere him came did hew and slay Till he had strowd with bodies all the way That none his daunger daring to abide Fled from his wrath and did themselues conuay Into their caues their heads from death to hide Ne any left that victorie to him enuide Then backe returning to his dearest deare He her gan to recomfort all he might With gladfull speaches and with louely cheare And forth her bringing to the ioyous light Whereof she long had lackt the wishfull sight Deuiz'd all goodly meanes from her to driue The sad remembrance of her wretched plight So her vneath at last he did reuiue That long had lyen dead and made againe aliue This doen into those theeuish dens he went And thence did all the spoyles and threasures take Which they from many long had robd and rent But fortune now the victors meed did make Of which the best he did his loue betake And also all those flockes which they before Had reft from Meliboe and from his make He did them all to Coridon restore So droue them all away and his loue with him bore Cant. XII Fayre Pastorella by great hap her parents vnderstands Calidore doth the Blatant beast subdew and bynd in bands LIke as a ship that through the Ocean wyde Directs her course vnto one certaine cost Is met of many a counter winde and tyde With which her winged speed is let and crost And she her selfe in stormie surges tost Yet making many a borde and many a bay Still
winneth way ne hath her compasse lost Right so it fares with me in this long way Whose course is often stayd yet neuer is astray For all that hetherto hath long delayd This gentle knight from sewing his first quest Though out of course yet hath not bene mis-sayd To shew the courtesie by him profest Euen vnto the lowest and the least But now I come into my course againe To his atchieuement of the Blatant beast Who all this while at will did range and raine Whilst none was him to stop nor none him to restraine Sir Calidore when thus he now had raught Faire Pastorella from those Brigants powre Vnto the Castle of Belgard her brought Whereof was Lord the good Sir Bellamoure Who whylome was in his youthes freshest flowre A lustie knight as euer wielded speare And had endured many a dreadfull stoure In bloudy battell for a Ladie deare The fayrest Ladie then of all that liuing were Her name was Claribell whose father hight The Lord of Many Ilands farre renound For his great riches and his greater might He through the wealth wherein he did abound This daughter thought in wedlocke to haue bound Vnto the Prince of Picteland bordering nere But she whose sides before with secret wound Of loue to Bellamoure empierced were By all meanes shund to match with any forrein fere And Bellamour againe so well her pleased With dayly seruice and attendance dew That of her loue he was entyrely seized And closely did her wed but knowne to few Which when her father vnderstood he grew In so great rage that them in dongeon deepe Without compassion cruelly he threw Yet did so streightly them a sunder keepe That neither could to company of th' other creepe Nathlesse Sir Bellamour whether through grace Or secret guifts so with his keepers wrought That to his loue sometimes he came in place Whereof her wombe vnwist to wight was fraught And in dew time a mayden child forth brought Which she streight way for dread least if her syre Should know thereof to slay he would haue sought Deliuered to her handmayd that for hyre She should it cause be fostred vnder straunge attyre The trustie damzell bearing it abrode Into the emptie fields where liuing wight Mote not bewray the secret of her lode She forth gan lay vnto the open light The litle babe to take thereof a sight Whom whylest she did with watrie eyne behold Vpon the litle brest like christall bright She mote perceiue a litle purple mold That like a rose her silken leaues did faire vnfold Well she it markt and pittied the more Yet could not remedie her wretched case But closing it againe like as before Bedeaw'd with teares there left it in the place Yet left not quite but drew a litle space Behind the bushes where she her did hyde To weet what mortall hand or heauens grace Would for the wretched infants helpe prouyde For which it loudly cald and pittifully cryde At length a Shepheard which there by did keepe His fleecie flocke vpon the playnes around Led with the infants cry that loud did weepe Came to the place where when he wrapped found Th'abandond spoyle he softly it vnbound And seeing there that did him pittie sore He tooke it vp and in his mantle wound So home vnto his honest wife it bore Who as her owne it nurst and named euermore Thus long continu'd Claribell a thrall And Bellamour in bands till that her syre Departed life and left vnto them all Then all the stormes of fortunes former yre Were turnd and they to freedome did retyre Thenceforth they ioy'd in happinesse together And liued long in peace and loue entyre Without disquiet or dislike of ether Till time that Calidore brought Pastorella thether Both whom they goodly well did entertaine For Bellamour knew Calidore right well And loued for his prowesse sith they twaine Long since had fought in field Al 's Claribell No lesse did tender the faire Pastorell Seeing her weake and wan through durance long There they a while together thus did dwell In much delight and many ioyes among Vntill the damzell gan to wex more sound and strong Tho gan Sir Calidore him to aduize Of his first quest which he had long forlore Asham'd to thinke how he that enterprize The which the Faery Queene had long afore Bequeath'd to him forslacked had so sore That much he feared least reprochfull blame With foule dishonour him mote blot therefore Besides the losse of so much loos and fame As through the world thereby should glorifie his name Therefore resoluing to returne in hast Vnto so great atchieuement he bethought To leaue his loue now perill being past With Claribell whylest he that monster sought Troughout the world and to destruction brought So taking leaue of his faire Pastorell Whom to recomfort all the meanes he wrought With thanks to Bellamour and Claribell He went forth on his quest and did that him befell But first ere I doe his aduentures tell In this exploite me needeth to declare What did betide to the faire Pastorell During his absence left in heauy care Through daily mourning and nightly misfare Yet did that auncient matrone all she might To cherish her with all things choice and rare And her owne handmayd that Melissa hight Appointed to attend her dewly day and night Who in a morning when this Mayden faire Was dighting her hauing her snowy brest As yet not laced nor her golden haire Into their comely tresses dewly drest Chaunst to espy vpon her yuory chest The rosie marke which she remembred well That litle Infant had which forth she kest The daughter of her Lady Claribell The which she bore the whiles iâ— prison she did dwell Which well auizing streight she gan to cast In her conceiptfull mynd that this faire Mayd Was that same infant which so long sith past She in the open fields had loosely layd To fortunes spoile vnable it to ayd So full of ioy streight forth she ran in hast Vnto her mistresse being halfe dismayd To tell her how the heauens had her graste To saue her chylde which in misfortunes mouth was plaste The sober mother seeing such her mood Yet knowing not what meant that sodaine thro Askt her how mote her words be vnderstood And what the matter was that mou'd her so My liefe sayd she ye know that long ygo Whilest ye in durance dwelt ye to me gaue A little mayde the which ye chylded tho The same againe if now ye list to haue The same is yonder Lady whom high God did saue Much was the Lady troubled at that speach And gan to question streight how she it knew Most certaine markes sayd she do me it teach For on her brest I with these eyes did vew The litle purple rose which thereon grew Whereof her name ye then to her did giue Besides her countenaunce and her likely hew Matched with equall yeares do surely prieue That yond same is your daughter sure which yet doth liue The
Till they againe returne backe by the hinder gate After that they againe returned beene They in that Gardin planted be againe And grow a fresh as they had neuer seene Fleshly corruption nor mortall paine Some thousand yeares so doen they there remaire And then of him are clad with other hew Or sent into the chaungefull world againe Till thither they returne where first they grew So like a wheele around they runne from old to new Ne needs there Gardiner to set or sow To plant of prune for of their owne accord All things as they created were doe grow And yet remember well the mightie word Which first was spoken by th' Almightie lord That bad them to increase and multiply Ne doe they need with water of the ford Or of the clouds to moysten their roots dry For in themselues eternall moisture they imply Infinite shapes of creatures there are bred And vncouth formes which none yet euer knew And euery sort is in a sundry bed Set by itselfe and ranckt in comely rew Some fit for reasonable soules t'indew Some made for beasts some made for birds to weare And all the fruitfull spawne of fishes hew In endlesse rancks along enraunged were That seem'd the Ocean could not containe them there Daily they grow and daily forth are sent Into the world it to replenish more Yet is the stocke not lessened nor spent But still remaines in euerlasting store As it at first created was of yore For in the wide wombe of the world there lyes In hatefull darkenesse and in deepe horrore An huge eternall Chaos which supplyes The substances of natures fruitfull progenyes All things from thence doe their first being fetch And borrow matter whereof they are made Which when as forme and feature it does ketch Becomes a bodie and doth then inuade The state of life out of the griefly shade That substance is eterne and bideth so Ne when the life decayes and forme does fade Doth it consume and into nothing go But chaunged is and often altred to and fro The subtance is not chaunged nor altered But th' only forme and outward fashion For euery substance is conditioned To change her hew and sundry formes to don Meet for her temper and complexion For formes are variable and decay By course of kind and by occasion And that faire flowre of beautie fades away As doth the lilly fresh before the sunny ray Great enimy to it and to all the rest That in the Gardin of Adonis springs Is wicked Time who with his scyth addrest Does mow the flowring herbes and goodly things And all their glory to the ground downe flings Where they doe wither and are fowly mard He flyes about and with his flaggy wings Beates downe both leaues and buds without regard Ne euer pittie may relent his malice hard Yet pittie often did the gods relent To see so faire things mard and spoyled quight And their great mother Venus did lament The losse of her deare brood her deare delight Her hart was pierst with pittie at the sight When walking through the Gardin them she spyde Yet no'te she find redresse for such despight For all that liues is subiect to that law All things decay in time and to their end do draw But were it not that Time their troubler is All that in this delightfull Gardin growes Should happie be and haue immortall blis For here all plentie and all pleasure flowes And sweet loue gentle fits emongst them throwes Without fell rancor or fond gealosie Franckly each paramour his leman knowes Each bird his mate ne any does enuie Their goodly meriment and gay felicitie There is continuall spring and haruest there Continuall both meeting at one time For both the boughes doe laughing blossomes beare And with fresh colours decke the wanton Prime And eke attonce the heauy trees they clime Which seeme to labour vnder their fruits lode The whiles the ioyous birdes make their pastime Emongst the shadie leaues their sweet abode And their true loues without suspition tell abrode Right in the middest of that Paradise There stood a stately Mount on whose round top A gloomy groue of mirtle trees did rise Whose shadie boughes sharpe steele did neuer lop Nor wicked beasts their tender buds did crop But like a girlond compassed the hight And from their fruitfull sides sweet gum did drop That all the ground with precious deaw bedight Threw forth most dainty odours most sweet delight And in the thickest couert of that shade There was a pleasant arbour not by art But of the trees owne inclination made Which knitting their rancke braunches part to part With wanton yuie twyne entrayld athwart And Eglantine and Caprifole emong Fashiond aboue within their inmost part That nether Phoebus beams could through thē throng Nor Aeolus sharp blast could worke them any wrong And all about grew euery sort of flowre To which sad louers were transformd of yore Fresh Hyacinthus Phoebus paramoure Foolish Narcisse that likes the watry shore Sad Amaranthus made a slowre but late Sad Amaranthus in whose purple gore Me seemes I see Amintas wretched fate To whom sweet Poets verse hath giuen endlesse date There wont faire Venus often to enjoy Her deare Adonis ioyous company And reape sweet pleasure of the wanton boy There yet some say in secret he does ly Lapped in flowres and pretious spycery By her hid from the world and from the skill Of Stygian Gods which doe her loue enuy But she her selfe when euer that she will Possesseth him and of his sweetnesse takes her fill And sooth it seemes they say for he may not For euer die and euer buried bee In balefull night where all things are forgot All be he subiect to mortalitie Yet is eterne in mutabilitie And by succession made perpetuall Transformed oft and chaunged diuerslie For him the Father of all formes they call Therefore needs mote he liue that liuing giues to all There now he liueth in eternall blis Ioying his goddesse and of her enioyd Ne feareth he henceforth that foe of his Which with his cruell tuske him deadly cloyd For that wilde Bore the which him once annoyd She firmely hath emprisoned for ay That her sweet loue his malice mote auoyd In a strong rocky Caue which is they say Hewen vnderneath that Mount that none him losen may There now he liues in euerlasting ioy With many of the Gods in company Which thither haunt and with the winged boy Sporting himselfe in safe felicity Who when he hath with spoiles and cruelty Ransackt the world and in the wofull harts Of many wretches set his triumphes hye Thither resorts and laying his sad darts Aside with faire Adonis playes his wanton parts And his true loue faire Psyche with him playes Faire Psyche to him lately reconcyld After long troubles and vnmeet vpbrayes With which his mother Venus her reuyld And eke himselfe her cruelly exyld But now in stedfast loue and happy state She with him liues and hath him borne a
chyld Pleasure that doth both gods and men aggrate Pleasure the daughter of Cupid and Psyche late Hither great Venus brought this infant faire The younger daughter of Chrysogonee And vnto Psyche with great trust and care Committed her yfostered to bee And trained vp in true feminitee Who no lesse carefully her tendered Then her owne daughter Pleasure to whom shee Made her companion and her lessoned In all the lore of loue and goodly womanhead In which when she to perfect ripenesse grew Of grace and beautie noble Paragone She brought her forth into the worldes vew To be th'ensample of true loue alone And Lodestarre of all chaste affectione To all faire Ladies that doe liue on ground To Faery court she came where many one Admyrd her goodly haueour and found His feeble hart wide launched with loues cruell wound But she to none of them her loue did cast Saue to the noble knight Sir Scudamore To whom her louing hart she linked fast In fathfull loue t' abide for euermore And for his dearest sake endured sore Sore trouble of an hainous enimy Who her would forced haue to haue forlore Her former loue and stedfast loialty As ye may elsewhere read that ruefull history But well I weene ye first desire to learne What end vnto that fearefull Damozell Which fled so fast from that same foster stearne Whom with his brethren Timias slew befell That was to weet the goodly Florimell Who wandring for to seeke her louer deare Her louer deare her dearest Marinell Into misfortune fell as ye did heare And from Prince Arthur fled with wings of idle feare Cant. VII The witches sonne loues Florimell she flyes he faines to die Satyrane saues the Squire of Dames from Gyants tyrannie LIke as an Hynd forth singled from the heard That hath escaped from a rauenous beast Yet flyes away of her owne feet affeard And euery leafe that shaketh with the least Murmure of winde her terror hath encreast So fled faire Florimell from her vaine feare Long after she from perill was releast Each shade she saw and each noyse she did heare Did seeme to be the same which she escapt whyleare All that same euening she in flying spent And all that night her course continewed Ne did she let dull sleepe once to relent Nor wearinesse to slacke her hast but fled Euer alike as if her former dred Were hard behind her readie to arrest And her white Palfrey hauing conquered The maistring raines out of her weary wrest Perforce her carried where euer he thought best So long as breath and hable puissance Did natiue courage vnto him supply His pace he freshly forward did aduaunce And carried her beyond all ieopardy But nought that wanteth rest can long aby He hauing through incessant trauell spent His force at last perforce a downe did ly Ne foot could further moue The Lady gent Thereat was suddein strooke with great astonishment And forst t' alight on foot mote algates fare A traueller vnwonted to such way Need teacheth her this lesson hard and rare That fortune all in equall launce doth sway And mortall miseries doth make her play So long she trauelled till at length she came To an hilles side which did to her bewray A little valley subiect to the same All couerd with thick woods that quite it ouercame Through the tops of the high trees she did descry A litle smoke whose vapour thin and light Reeking aloft vprolled to the sky Which chearefull signe did send vnto her sight That in the same did wonne some liuing wight Estsoones her steps she thereunto applyde And came at last in weary wretched plight Vnto the place to which her hope did guyde To find some refuge there and rest her weary syde There in a gloomy hollow glen she found A little cottage built of stickes and reedes In homely wize and wald with sods around In which a witch did dwell in loathly weedes And wilfull want all carelesse of her needes So choosing solitarie to abide Far from all neighbours that her deuilish deedes And hellish arts from people she might hide And hurt far off vnknowne whom euer she enuide The Damzell there arriuing entred in Where sitting on the flore the Hag she found Busie as seem'd about some wicked gin Who soone as she beheld that sudde in stound Lightly vpstarted from the dustie ground And with fell looke and hollow deadly gaze Stared on her awhile as one astound Ne had one word to speake for great amaze But shewd by outward signes that dread her sence did daze At last turning her feare to foolish wrath She askt what deuill had her thither brought And who she was and what vnwonted path Had guided her vnwelcomed vnsought To which the Damzell full of doubtfull thought Her mildly answer'd Beldame be not wroth With silly Virgin by aduenture brought Vnto your dwelling ignorant and loth That craue but rowme to rest while tempest ouerblo'th With that adowne out of her Christall eyne Few trickling teares she softly forth let fall That like two Orient pearles did purely shyne Vpon her snowy cheeke and therewithall She sighed soft that none so bestiall Nor saluage hart but ruth of her sad plight Would make to melt or pitteously appall And that vile Hag all were her whole delight In mischiefe was much moued at so pitteous sight And gan recomfort her in her rude wyse With womanish compassion of her plaint Wiping the teares from her suffused eyes And bidding her sit downe to rest her faint And wearie limbs a while She nothing quaint Nor s'deignfull of so homely fashion Sith brought she was now to so hard constraint Sate downe vpon the dusty ground anon As glad of that small rest as Bird of tempest gon Tho gan she gather vp her garments rent And her loose lockes to dight in order dew With golden wreath and gorgeous ornament Whom such whenas the wicked Hag did vew She was astonisht at her heauenly hew And doubted her to deeme an earthly wight But or some Goddesse or of Dianes crew And thought her to adore with humble spright T' adore thing so diuine as beauty were but right This wicked woman had a wicked sonne The comfort of her age and weary dayes A laesie loord for nothing good to donne But stretched forth in idlenesse alwayes Ne euer cast his mind to couet prayse Or ply him selfe to any honest trade But all the day before the sunny rayes He vs'd to slug or sleepe in slothfull shade Such laesinesse both lewd and poore attonce him made He comming home at vndertime there found The fairest creature that he euer saw Sitting beside his mother on the ground The sight whereof did greatly him adaw And his base thought with terrour and with aw So inly smot that as one which had gazed On the bright Sunne vnwares doth soone withdraw His feeble eyne with too much brightnesse dazed So stared he on her and stood long while amazed Softly at last he gan his mother aske