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
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
her dayes Aswell in curious instruments as cunning layes Of whom he did great Constantine beget Who afterward was Emperour of Rome To which whiles absent he his mind did set Octauius here lept into his roome And it vsurped by vnrighteous doome But he his title iustifide by might Slaying Traherne and hauing ouercome The Romane legion in dreadfull fight So settled he his kingdome and confirmd his right But wanting issew male his daughter deare He gaue in wedlocke to Maximian And him with her made of his kingdome heyre Who soone by meanes thereof the Empire wan Till murdred by the friends of Gratian Then gan the Hunnes and Picts inuade this land During the raigne of Maximinian Who dying left none heire them to withstand But that they ouerran all parts with easie hand The weary Britons whose war-hable youth Was by Maximian lately led away With wretched miseries and woefull ruth Were to those Pagans made an open pray And dayly spectacle of sad decay Whom Romane warres which now foure hundred yeares And more had wasted could no whit dismay Till by consent of Commons and of Peares They crownd the second Constantine with ioyous teares Who hauing oft in battell vanquished Those spoilefull Picts and swarming Easterlings Long time in peace his Realme established Yet oft annoyd with sundry bordragings Of neighbour Scots and forrein Scatterlings With which the world did in those dayes abound Which to outbarre with painefull pyonings From sea to sea he heapt a mightie mound Which from Alcluid to Panwelt did that border bound Three sonnes he dying left all vnder age By meanes whereof their vncle Vortigere Vsurpt the crowne during their pupillage Which th' Infants tutors gathering to feare Them closely into Armorick did beare For dread of whom and for those Picts annoyes He sent to Germanie straunge aid to reare From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons whom he for his safetie imployes Two brethren were their Captains which hight Hengist and Horsus well approu'd in warre And both of them men of renowmed might Who making vantage of their ciuill iarre And of those forreiners which came from farre Grew great and got large portions of land That in the Realme ere long they stronger arre Then they which sought at first their helping hand And Vortiger enforst the kingdome to aband But by the helpe of Vortimere his sonne He is againe vnto his rule restord And Hengist seeming sad for that was donne Receiued is to grace and new accord Through his faire daughters face flattring word Soone after which three hundred Lordes he slew Of British bloud all sitting at his bord Whose dolefull moniments who list to rew Th' eternall markes of treason may at Stonheng vew By this the sonnes of Constantine which fled Ambrise and Vther did ripe yeares attaine And here arriuing strongly challenged The crowne which Vortiger did long detaine Who flying from his guilt by them was slaine And Hengist eke soone brought to shamefull death Thenceforth Aurelius peaceably did rayne Till that through poyson stopped was his breath So now entombed lyes at Stoneheng by the heath After him Vther which Pendragon hight Succeding There abruptly it did end Without full point or other Cesure right As if the rest some wicked hand did rend Or th' Authour selfe could not at least attend To finish it that so vntimely breach The Prince him selfe halfe seemeth to offend Yet secret pleasure did offence empeach And wonder of antiquitie long stopt his speach At last quite rauisht with delight to heare The royall Ofspring of his natiue land Cryde out Deare countrey ô how dearely deare Ought thy remembraunce and perpetuall band Be to thy foster Childe that from thy hand Did commun breath and nouriture receaue How brutish is it not to vnderstand How much to her we owe that all vs gaue That gaue vnto vs all what euer good we haue But Guyon all this while his booke did read Ne yet has ended for it was a great And ample volume that doth far excead My leasure so long leaues here to repeat It told how first Prometheus did create A man of many partes from beasts deriued And then stole fire from heauen to animate His worke for which he was by loue depriued Of life him selfe and hart-strings of an Aegle riued That man so made he called Elfe to weet Quick the first author of all Elfin kind Who wandring through the world with wearie feet Did in the gardins of Adonis find A goodly creature whom he deemd in mind To beno earthly wight but either Spright Or Angell th' authour of all woman kind Therefore a Fay he her according hight Of whom all Faeryes spring and fetch their lignage right Of these a mightie people shortly grew And puissaunt kings which all the world warrayd And to them selues all Nations did subdew The first and eldest which that scepter swayd Was Elfin him all India obayd And all that now America men call Next him was noble Elfinan who layd Cleopolis foundation first of all But Elfiline enclosd it with a golden wall His sonne was Elfinell who ouercame The wicked Gobbelines in bloudy field But Elfant was of most renowmed fame Who all of Christall did Panthea build Then Elfar who two brethren gyants kild The one of which had two heads th' other three Then Elfinor who was in Magick skild He built by art vpon the glassy See A bridge of bras whose sound heauēs thunder seem'd to bee He left three sonnes the which in order raynd And all their Ofspring in their dew descents Euen seuen hundred Princes which maintaynd With mightie deedes their sundry gouernments That were too long their infinite contents Here to record ne much materiall Yet should they be most famous moniments And bratie ensample both of martiall And ciuill rule to kings and states imperiall After all these Elficleos did rayne The wise Elficleos in great Maiestie Who mightily that scepter did sustayne And with rich spoiles and famous victorie Did high aduaunce the crowne of Faery He left two sonnes of which faire Elferon The eldest brother did vntimely dy Whose emptie place the mightie Oberon Doubly supplide in spousall and dominion Great was his power and glorie ouer all Which him before that sacred seate did fill That yet remaines his wide memoriall He dying left the fairest Tanaquill Him to succeede therein by his last will Fairer and nobler liueth none this howre Ne like in grace ne like in learned skill Therefore they Glorian call that glorious flowre Long mayst thou Glorian liue in glory and great powre Beguild thus with delight of nouelties And naturall desire of countreys state So long they red in those antiquities That how the time was fled they quite forgate Till geutle Alma seeing it so late Perforce their studies broke and them besought To thinke how supper did them long awaite So halfe vnwilling from their bookes them brought And fairely feasted as so nobles knights she ought Cant. XI The enimies
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
men plainely wot It was no mortall worke that seem'd and yet was not Her goodly lockes adowne her backe did flow Vnto her waste with flowres bescattered The which ambrosiall odours forth did throw To all about and all her shoulders spred As a new spring and likewise on her hed A Chapelet of sundry flowers she wore From vnder which the deawy humour shed Did tricle downe her haire like to the hore Congealed litle drops which doe the morne adore On her two pretty handmaides did attend One cald the Theise the other cald the Crane Which on her waited things amisse to mend And both behind vpheld her spredding traine Vnder the which her feet appeared plaine Her siluer feet faire washt against this day And her before there paced Pages twaine Both clad in colours like and like array The Doune eke the Frith both which prepard her way And after these the Sea Nymphs marched all All goodly damzels deckt with long greene haire Whom of their sire Nereides men call All which the Oceans daughter to him bare The gray eyde Doris all which fifty are All which she there on her attending had Swift Proto milde Eucrate Thetis faire Soft Spio sweete Endore Sao sad Light Doto wanton Glauce and Galene glad White hand Eunica proud Dynamene Ioyous Thalia goodly Amphitrite Louely Pasithee kinde Eulimene Light foote Cymothoe and sweete Melite Fairest Pherusa Phao lilly white Wondred Agaue Poris and Nesaea With Erato that doth in loue delite And Panopae and wise Protomedaea And snowy neckd Doris and milkewhite Galathaea Speedy Hippothoe and chaste Actea Large Lisianassa and Pronaea sage Euagore and light Pontoporea And she that with her least word can asswage The surging seas when they do sorest rage Cymodoce and stout Autonoe And Neso and Eione well in age And seeming still to smile Glauconome And she that hight of many heastes Polynome Fresh Alimeda deckt with girlond greene Hyponeo with salt bedewed wrests Laomedia like the christall sheene Liagore much praisd for wise behests And Psamathe for her brode snowy brests Cymo Eupompe and Themiste iust And she that vertue loues and vice detests Euarna and Menippe true in trust And Nemertea learned well to rule her lust All these the daughters of old Nereus were Which haue the sea in charge to them assinde To rule his tides and surges to vprere To bring forth stormes or fast them to vpbinde And sailers saue from wreckes of wrathfull winde And yet besides three thousand more there were Of th' Oceans seede but Ioues and Phoebus kinde The which in floods and fountaines doe appere And all mankinde do nourish with their waters clere The which more eath it were for mortall wight To tell the sands or count the starres on hye Or ought more hard then thinke to reckon right But well I wote that these which I descry Were present at this great solemnity And there amongst the rest the mother was Of luckelesse Marinell Cymodoce Which for my Muse her selfe now tyred has Vnto an other Canto I will ouerpas Cant. XII Marin for loue of Florimell In languor wastes his life The Nymph his mother getteth her And giues to him for wife O What an endlesse worke haue I in hand To count the seas abundant progeny Whose fruitfull seede farre passeth those in land And also those which wonne in th' azure sky For much more eath to tell the starres on hy Albe they endlesse seeme in estimation Then to recount the Seas posterity So fertile be the flouds in generation So huge their numbers and so numberlesse their nation Therefore the antique wisards well inuented That Venus of the fomy sea was bred For that the seas by her are most augmented Witnesse th'exceeding fry which there are fed And wondrous sholes which may of none be red Then blame me not if I haue err'd in count Of Gods of Nymphs Of riuers yet vnred For though their numbers do much more surmount Yet all those same were there which erst I did recount All those were there and many other more Whose names and nations were too long to tell That Proteus house they fild euen to the dore Yet were they all in order as befell According their degrees disposed well Amongst the rest was faire Cymodoce The mother of vnlucky Marinell Who thither with her came to learne and see The manner of the Gods when they at banquet be But for he was halfe mortall being bred Of mortall sire though of immortall wombe He might not with immortall food be fed Ne with th' eternall Gods to bancket come But walkt abrode and round about did rome To view the building of that vncouth place That seem'd vnlike vnto his earthly home Where as he to and fro by chaunce did trace There vnto him betid a disauentrous case Vnder the hanging of an hideous clieffe He heard the lamentable voice of one That piteously complaind her carefull grieffe Which neuer she before disclosd to none But to her selfe her sorrow did bemone So feelingly her case she did complaine That ruth it moued in the rocky stone And made it seeme to feele her grieuous paine And oft to grone with billowes beating from the maine Though vaine I see my sorrowes to vnfold And count my cares when none is nigh to heare Yet hoping griefe may lessen being told I will them tell though vnto no man neare For heauen that vnto all lends equall eare Is farre from hearing of my heauy plight And lowest hell to which I lie most neare Cares not what euils hap to wretched wight And greedy seas doe in the spoile of life delight Yet loe the seas I see by often beating Doe pearce the rockes and hardest marble weares But his hard rocky hart for no entreating Will yeeld but when my piteous plaints he heares Is hardned more with my aboundant teares Yet though he neuer list to me relent But let me waste in woe my wretched yeares Yet will I neuer of my loue repent But ioy that for his sake I suffer prisonment And when my weary ghost with griefe outworne By timely death shall winne her wished rest Let then this plaint vnto his eares be borne That blame it is to him that armes profest To let her die whom he might haue redrest There did she pause inforced to giue place Vnto the passion that her heart opprest And after she had wept and wail'd a space She gan afresh thus to renew her wretched case Ye Gods of seas if any Gods at all Haue care of right or ruth of wretches wrong By one or other way me woefull thrall Deliuer hence out of this dungeon strong In which I daily dying am too long And if ye deeme me death for louing one That loues not me then doe it not prolong But let me die and end my daies attone And let him liue vnlou'd or loue him selfe alone But if that life ye vnto me decree Then let mee liue as louers ought to do And of my lifes deare loue beloued
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
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
she rode with so much speede As her slow beast could make but all in vaine For him so far had borne his light-foot steede Pricked with wrath and fiery fierce disdaine That him to follow was but fruitlesse paine Yet she her weary limbes would neuer rest But euery hill and dale each wood and plaine Did search sore grieued in her gentle brest He so vngently left her whom she louest best But subtill Archimago when his guests He saw diuided into double parts And Vna wandring in woods and forrests Th' end of his drift he praisd his diuelish arts That had such might ouer true meaning harts Yet rests not so but other meanes doth make How he may worke vnto her further smarts For her he hated as the hissing snake And in her many troubles did most pleasure take He then deuisde himselfe how to disguise For by his mightie science he could take As many formes and shapes in seeming wise As euer Proteus to himselfe could make Sometime a fowle sometime a fish in lake Now like a foxe now like a dragon fell That of himselfe he oft for feare would quake And oft would flie away O who can tell The hidden power of herbes and might of Magicke spell But now seemde best the person to put on Of that good knight his late beguiled guest In mighty armes he was yclad anon And siluer shield vpon his coward brest A bloudy crosse and on his crauen crest A bounch of haires discolourd diuersly Full iolly knight he seemde and well addrest And when he sate vpon his courser free Saint George himself ye would haue deemed him to be But he the knight whose semblaunt he did beare The true Saint George was wandred far away Still flying from his thoughts and gealous feare Will was his guide and griefe led him astray At last him chaunst to meete vpon the way A faithlesse Sarazin all arm'd to point In whose great shield was writ with letters gay Sans foy full large of limbe and euery ioint He was and cared not for God or man a point He had a faire companion of his way A goodly Lady clad in scarlot red Purfled with gold and pearle of rich assay And like a Persian mitre on her hed She wore with crownes and owches garnished The which her lauish louers to her gaue Her wanton palfrey all was ouerspred With tinsell trappings wouen like a waue Whose bridle rung with golden bels and bosses braue With faire disport and courting dalliaunce She intertainde her louer all the way But when she saw the knight his speare aduaunce She soone left off her mirth and wanton play And bad her knight addresse him to the fray His foe was nigh at hand He prickt with pride And hope to winne his Ladies heart that day Forth spurred fast adowne his coursers side The red bloud trickling staind the way as he did ride The knight of the Redcrosse when him he spide Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous Gan fairely couch his speare and towards ride Soone meete they both both fell and furious That daunted with their forces hideous Their steeds do stagger and amazed stand And eke themselues too rudely rigorous Astonied with the stroke of their owne hand Do backe rebut and each to other yeeldeth land As when two rams stird with ambitious pride Fight for the rule of the rich fleeced flocke Their horned fronts so fierce on either side Do meete that with the terrour of the shocke Astonied both stand sencelesse as ablocke Forgetfull of the hanging victory So stood these twaine vnmoued as a rocke Both staring fierce and holding idely The broken reliques of their former cruelty The Sarazin sore daunted with the buffe Snatcheth his sword and fiercely to him flies Who well it wards and quyteth cuff with cuff Each others equall puissaunce enuies And through their iron sides with cruelties Does seeke to perce repining courage yields No foote to foe The flashing fier flies As from a forge out of their burning shields And streames of purple bloud new dies the verdāt fields Curse on that Crosse quoth then the Sarazin That keepes thy body from the bitter fit Dead long ygoe I wote thou haddest bin Had not that charme from thee forwarned it But yet I warne thee now assured sitt And hide thy head Therewith vpon his crest With rigour so outrageous he smitt That a large share it hewd out of the rest And glauncing downe his shield from blame him fairely blest Who thereat wondrous wroth the sleeping spark Of natiue vertue gan eftsoones reuiue And at his haughtie helmet making mark So hugely stroke that it the steele did riue And cleft his head He tumbling downe aliue With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis Greeting his graue his grudging ghost did striue With the fraile flesh at last it flitted is Whither the soules do fly of men that liue amis The Lady when she saw her champion fall Like the old ruines of a broken towre Staid not to waile his woefull funerall But from him fled away with all her powre Who after her as hastily gan scowre Bidding the Dwarfe with him to bring away The Sarazins shield signe of the conqueroure Her soone he ouertooke and bad to stay For present cause was none of dread her to dismay She turning backe with ruefull countenaunce Cride Mercy mercy Sir vouchsafe to show On silly Dame subiect to hard mischaunce And to your mighty will Her humblesse low In so ritch weedes and seeming glorious show Did much emmoue his stout heroïcke heart And said Deare dame your suddein ouerthrow Much rueth me but now put feare apart And tell both who ye be and who that tooke your part Melting in teares then gan she thus lament The wretched woman whom vnhappy howre Hath now made thrall to your commandement Before that angry heauens lift to lowre And fortune false betraide me to your powre Was O what now auaileth that I was Borne the sole daughter of an Emperour He that the wide West vnder his rule has And high hath set his throne where Tiberis doth pas He in the first flowre of my freshest age Betrothed me vnto the onely haire Of a most mighty king most rich and sage Was neuer Prince so faithfull and so faire Was neuer Prince so meeke and debonaire But ere my hoped day of spousall shone My dearest Lord fell from high honours staire Into the hands of his accursed fone And cruelly was slaine that shall I euer mone His blessed body spoild of liuely breath Was afterward I know not how conuaid And fro me hid of whose most innocent death When tidings came to me vnhappy maid O how great sorrow my sad soule assaid Then forth I went his woefull corse to find And many yeares throughout the world I straid A virgin widow whose deepe wounded mind With loue long time did languish as the striken hind At last it chaunced this proud Sarazin To meete me wandring who perforce me led With him away but yet
so dearely bought What need of armes where peace doth ay remaine Said he and battailes none are to be fought As for loose loues are vaine and vanish into nought O let me not quoth he then turne againe Backe to the world whose ioyes so fruitlesse are But let me here for aye in peace remaine Or streight way on that last long voyage fare That nothing may my present hope empare That may not be said he ne maist thou yit Forgo that royall maides bequeathed care Who did her cause into thy hand commit Till from her cursed foe thou haue her freely quit Then shall I soone quoth he so God me grace Abet that virgins cause disconsolate And shortly backe returne vnto this place To walke this way in Pilgrims poore estate But now aread old father why of late Didst thou behight me borne of English blood Whom all a Faeries sonne doen then nominate That word shall I said he auouchen good Sith to thee is vnknowne the cradle of thy brood For well I wote thou springst from ancient race Of Saxon kings that haue with mightie hand And many bloudie battailes fought in place High reard their royall throne in Britane land And vanquisht them vnable to withstand From thence a Faerie thee vnweeting rest There as thou slepst in tender swadling band And her base Elfin brood there for thee left Such men do Chaungelings call so chaungd by Faeries theft Thence she thee brought into this Faerie lond And in an heaped furrow did thee hyde Where thee a Ploughman all vnweeting fond As he his toylesome teme that way did guyde And brought thee vp in ploughmans state to byde Whereof Georgos he thee gaue to name Till prickt with courage and thy forces pryde To Faery court thou cam'st to seeke for fame And proue thy puissaunt armes as seemes thee best became O holy Sire quoth he how shall I quight The many fauours I with thee haue found That hast my name and nation red aright And taught the way that does to heauen bound This said adowne he looked to the ground To haue returnd but dazed were his eyne Through passing brightnesse which did quite cōfoun His feeble sence and too exceeding shyne So darke are earthly things compard to things diuine At last whenas himselfe he gan to find To Vna back he cast him to retire Who him awaited still with pensiue mind Great thankes and goodly meed to that good syre He thence departing gaue for his paines hyre So came to Vna who him ioyd to see And after litle rest gan him desire Of her aduenture mindfull for to bee So leaue they take of Coelia and her daughters three Cant. XI The knight with that old Dragon fights two dayes incessantly The third him ouerthrowes and gayns most glorious victory HIgh time now gan it wex for Vna faire To thinke of those her captiue Parents deare And their forwasted kingdome to repaire Whereto whenas they now approched neare With hartie words her knight she gan to cheare And in her modest manner thus bespake Deare knight as deare as euer knight was deare That all these sorrowes suffer for my sake High heauen behold the tedious toyle ye for me take Now are we come vnto my natiue soyle And to the place where all our perils dwell Here haunts that feend and does his dayly spoyle Therefore henceforth be at your keeping well And euer ready for your foeman fell The sparke of noble courage now awake And striue your excellent selfe to excell That shall ye euermore renowmed make Aboue all knights on earth that batteill vndertake And pointing forth lo yonder is said she The brasen towre in which my parents deare For dread of that huge feend emprisond be Whom I from far see on the walles appeare Whose sight my feeble soule doth greatly cheare And on the top of all I do espye The watchman wayting tydings glad to heare That ô my parents might I happily Vnto you bring to ease you of your misery With that they heard a roaring hideous sound That all the ayre with terrour filled wide And seemd vneath to shake the stedfast ground Eftsoones that dreadfull Dragon they espide Where stretch he lay vpon the sunny side Of a great hill himselfe like a great hill But all so soone as he from far descride Those glistring armes that heauen with light did fill He rousd himselfe full blith and hastned them vntill Then bad the knight this Lady yede aloofe And to an hill her selfe with draw aside From whence she might behold that battailles proof And eke be safe from daunger far descryde She him obayd and turnd a little wyde Now O thou sacred Muse most learned Dame Faire ympe of Phoebus and his aged bride The Nourse of time and euerlasting fame That warlike hands ennoblest with immortall name O gently come into my feeble brest Come gently but not with that mighty rage Wherewith the martiall troupes thou doest infest And harts of great Heroes doest enrage That nought their kindled courage may aswage Soone as thy dreadfull trompe begins to sownd The God of warre with his fiers equipage Thou doest awake sleepe neuer he so sownd And feared nations doest with horrour sterne astownd Faire Goddesse lay that furious fit aside Till I of warres and bloudy Mars do sing And Briton fields with Sarazin bloud bedyde Twixt that great faery Queene and Paynim king That with their horrour heauen and earth did ring A worke of labour long and endlesse prayse But now a while let downe that haughtie string And to my tunes thy second tenor rayse That I this man of God his godly armes may blaze By this the dreadfull Beast drew nigh to hand Halfe flying and halfe footing in his hast That with his largenesse measured much land And made wide shadow vnder his huge wast As mountaine doth the valley ouercast Approching nigh he reared high afore His body monstrous horrible and wast Which to increase his wondrous greatnesse more Was swolne with wrath poyson with bloudy gore And ouer all with brasen scales was armd Like plated coate of steele so couched neare That nought mote perce ne might his corse be harmd With dint of sword nor push of pointed speare Which as an Eagle seeing pray appeare His aery plumes doth rouze full rudely dight So shaked he that horrour was to heare For as the clashing of an Armour bright Such noyse his rouzed scales did send vnto the knight His flaggy wings when forth he did display Were like two sayles in which the hollow wynd Is gathered full and worketh speedy way And eke the pennes that did his pineons bynd Were like mayne-yards with flying canuas lynd With which whenas him list the ayre to beat And there by force vnwonted passage find The cloudes before him fled for terrour great And all the heauens stood still amazed with his threat His huge long tayle wound vp in hundred foldes Does ouerspred his long bras-scaly backe Whose wreathed boughts when
ground as hating life and light The gentle knight her soone with carefull paine Vplifted light and softly did vphold Thrise he her reard and thrise she sunke againe Till he his armes about her sides gan fold And to her said Yet if the stony cold Haue not all seized on your frozen hart Let one word fall that may your griefe vnfold And tell the secret of your mortall smart He oft finds present helpe who does his griefe impart Then casting vp a deadly looke full low Shee sight from bottome of her wounded brest And after many bitter throbs did throw With lips full pale and foltring tongue opprest These words she breathed forth from riuen chest Leaue ah leaue off what euer wight thou bee To let a wearie wretch from her dew rest And trouble dying soules tranquilitee Take not away now got which none would giue to me Ah farre be it said he Deare dame fro mee To hinder soule from her desired rest Or hold sad life in long captiuitee For all I seeke is but to haue redrest The bitter pangs that doth your heart infest Tell then ô Lady tell what fatall priefe Hath with so huge misfortune you opprest That I may cast to compasse your reliefe Or die with you in sorrow and partake your griefe With feeble hands then stretched forth on hye As heauen accusing guiltie of her death And with dry drops congealed in her eye In these sad words she spent her vtmost breath Heare then ô man the sorrowes that vneath My tongue can tell so farre all sense they pas Loe this dead corpse that lies here vnderneath The gentlest knight that euer on greene gras Gay steed with spurs did pricke the good Sir Mortdant was Was ay the while that he is not so now My Lord my loue my deare Lord my deare loue So long as heauens iust with equall brow Vouchsafed to behold vs from aboue One day when him high courage did emmoue As wont ye knights to seeke aduentures wilde He pricked forth his puissant force to proue Me then he left enwombed of this child This lucklesse child whom thus ye see with bloud defild Him fortuned hard fortune ye may ghesse To come where vile Acrasia does wonne Acrasia a false enchaunteresse That many errant knights hath foule fordonne Within a wandring Island that doth ronne And stray in perilous gulfe her dwelling is Faire Sir if euer there ye trauell shonne The cursed land where many wend amis And know it by the name it hight the Bowre of blis Her blisse is all in pleasure and delight Wherewith she makes her louers drunken mad And then with words weedes of wondrous might On them she workes her will to vses bad My lifest Lord she thus beguiled had For he was flesh all flesh doth frailtie breed Whom when I heard to beene so ill bestad Weake wretch I wrapt my selfe in Palmers weed And cast to seeke him forth through daunger and great dreed Now had faire Cynthia by euen tournes Full measured three quarters of her yeare And thrise three times had fild her crooked hornes When as my wombe her burdein would forbeare And bad me call Lucina to me neare Lucina came a manchild forth I brought The woods the Nymphes my bowres my midwiues weare Hard helpe at need So deare thee babe I bought Yet nought too deare I deemd while so my dear I sought Him so I sought and so at last I found Where him that witch had thralled to her will In chaines of lust and lewd desires ybound And so transformed from his former skill That me he knew not neither his owne ill Till through wise handling and faire gouernance I him recured to a better will Purged from drugs of foule intemperance Then meanes I gan deuise for his deliuerance Which when the vile Enchaunteresse perceiu'd How that my Lord from her I would repriue With cup thus charmd him parting she deceiu'd Sad verse giue death to him that death does giue And losse of loue to her that loues to liue So soone as Bacchus with the Nymphe does lincke So parted we and on our iourney driue Till comming to this well he stoupt to drincke The charme fulfild dead suddenly he downe did sincke Which when I wretch Not one word more she sayd But breaking off the end for want of breath And slyding soft as downe to sleepe her layd And ended all her woe in quiet death That seeing good Sir Guyon could vneath From teares abstaine for griefe his hart did grate And from so heauie sight his head did wreath Accusing fortune and too cruell fate Which plunged had faire Ladie in so wretched state Then turning to his Palmer said Old syre Behold the image of mortalitie And feeble nature cloth'd with fleshly tyre When raging passion with fierce tyrannie Robs reason of her due regalitie And makes it seruant to her basest part The strong it weakens with infirmitie And with bold furie armes the weakest hart The strong through pleasure soonest falles the weake through smart But temperance said he with golden squire Betwixt them both can measure out a meane Neither to melt in pleasures whot desire Nor fry in hartlesse griefe and dolefull teene Thrise happie man who fares them both atweene But sith this wretched woman ouercome Of anguish rather then of crime hath beene Reserue her cause to her eternall doome And in the meane vouchsafe her honorable toombe Palmer quoth he death is an euill doome To good and bad the common Inne of rest But after death the tryall is to come When best shall be to them that liued best But both alike when death hath both supprest Religious reuerence doth buriall teene Which who so wants wants so much of his rest For all so great shame after death I weene As selfe to dyen bad vnburied bad to beene So both agree their bodies to engraue The great earthes wombe they open to the sky And with sad Cypresse seemely it embraue Then couering with a clod their closed eye They lay therein those corses tenderly And bid them sleepe in euerlasting peace But ere they did their vtmost obsequy Sir Guyon more affection to increace Bynempt a sacred vow which none should aye releace The dead knights sword out of his sheath he drew With which he cut a locke of all their heare Which medling with their bloud and earth he threw Into the graue and gan deuoutly sweare Such and such euill Godon Guyon reare And worse and worse young Orphane be thy paine If I or thou dew vengeance doe forbeare Till guiltie bloud her guerdon doe obtaine So shedding many teares they closd the earth againe Cant. II. Babes bloudie hands may not be clensd the face of golden Meane Her sisters two Extremities striue her to banish cleane THus when Sir Guyon with his faithfull guide Had with due rites and dolorous lament The end of their sad Tragedie vptyde The litle babe vp in his armes he hent Who with sweet pleasance and bold blandishment
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
of euerlasting fame He with his victour sword first opened The bowels of wide Fraunce a forlorne Dame And taught her first how to be conquered Since which with sundrie spoiles she hath beene ransacked Let Scaldis tell and let tell Hania And let the marsh of Estham bruges tell What colour were their waters that same day And all the moore twixt Eluersham and Dell With bloud of Henalois which therein fell How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell That not Scuith guiridh it mote seeme to bee But rather y Scuith gogh signe of sad crueltee His sonne king Leill by fathers labour long Enioyd an heritage of lasting peace And built Cairleill and built Cairleon strong Next Huddibras his realme did not encrease But taught the land from wearie warres to cease Whose footsteps Bladud following in arts Exceld at Athens all the learned preace From whence he brought them to these saluage parts And with sweet science mollifide their stubborne harts Ensample of his wondrous faculty Behold the boyling Bathes at Cairbadon Which seeth with secret fire eternally And in their entrails full of quicke Brimston Nourish the flames which they are warm'd vpon That to her people wealth they forth do well And health to euery forreine nation Yet he at last contending to excell The reach of men through flight into fond mischief fell Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raind But had no issue male him to succeed But three faire daughters which were well vptraind In all that seemed sit for kingly seed Mongst whom his realme he equally decreed To haue diuided Tho when feeble age Nigh to his vtmost date he saw proceed He cald his daughters and with speeches sage Inquyrd which of them most did loue her parentage The eldest Gonorill gan to protest That she much more then her owne life him lou'd And Regan greater loue to him profest Then all the world when euer it were proou'd But Cordeill said she lou'd him as behoou'd Whose simple answere wanting colours faire To paint it forth him to displeasance moou'd That in his crowne he counted her no haire But twixt the other twaine his kingdome whole did shaire So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scots And th' other to the king of Cambria And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lots But without dowre the wise Cordelia Was sent to Aganip of Celtica Their aged Syre thus cased of his crowne A priuate life led in Albania With Gonorill long had in great renowne That nought him grieu'd to bene from rule deposed downe But true it is that when the oyle is spent The light goes out and weeke is throwne away So when he had resignd his regiment His daughter gan despise his drouping day And wearie waxe of his continuall stay Tho to his daughter Rigan he repayrd Who him at first well vsed euery way But when of his departure she despayrd Her bountie she abated and his cheare empayrd The wretched man gan then auise too late That loue is not where most it is profest Too truely tryde in his extreamest state At last resolu'd likewise to proue the rest He to Cordelia him selfe addrest Who with entire affection him receau'd As for her Syre and king her seemed best And after all an army strong she leau'd To war on those which him had of his realme bereau'd So to his crowne she him restor'd againe In which he dyde made ripe for death by eld And after wild it should to her remaine Who peaceably the same long time did weld And all mens harts in dew obedience held Till that her sisters children woxen strong Through proud ambition against her rebeld And ouercommen kept in prison long Till wearie of that wretched life her selfe she hong Then gan the bloudie brethren both to raine But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuie His brother Morgan prickt with proud disdaine To haue a pere in part of soueraintie And kindling coles of cruell enmitie Raisd warre and him in battell ouerthrew Whence as he to those woodie hils did flie Which hight of him Glamorgan there him slew Then did he raigne alone when he none equall knew His sonne Riuallo his dead roome did supply In whose sad time bloud did from heauen raine Next great Gurgustus then faire Caecily In constant peace their kingdomes did containe After whom Lago and Kinmarke did raine And Gorbogud till farre in yeares he grew Till his ambitious sonnes vnto them twaine Arraught the rule and from their father drew Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw But ô the greedy thirst of royall crowne That knowes no kinred nor regardes no right Stird Porrex vp to put his brother downe Who vnto him assembling forreine might Made warre on him and fell him selfe in fight Whose death t' auenge his mother mercilesse Most mercilesse of women VVyden hight Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse Here ended Brutus sacred progenie Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne With high renowme and great felicitie The noble braunch from th'antique stocke was torne Through discord and the royall throne forlorne Thenceforth this Realme was into factions rent Whilest each of Brutus boasted to be borne That in the end was left no moniment Of Brutus nor of Britons glory auncient Then vp arose a man of matchlesse might And wondrous wit to menage high affaires Who stird vp pitty of the stressed plight Of this sad Realme cut into sundry shaires By such as claymd themselues Brutes rightfull haires Gathered the Princes of the people loose To taken counsell of their common cares Who with his wisedom won him streight did choose Their king and swore him fealty to win or loose Then made he head against his enimies And Ymner slew or Logris miscreate Then Ruddoc and proud Stater both allyes This of Albanie newly nominate And that of Cambry king confirmed late He ouerthrew through his owne valiaunce Whos 's countreis he redus'd to quiet state And shortly brought to ciuill gouernaunce Now one which earst were many made through variaunce Then made he sacred lawes which some men say Were vnto him reueald in vision By which he freed the Traueilers high way The Churches part and Ploughmans portion Restraining stealth and strong extortion The gracious Numa of great Britanie For till his dayes the chiefe dominion By strength was wielded without pollicie Therefore he first wore crowne of gold for dignitie Donwallo dyde for what may liue for ay And left two sonnes of pearelesse prowesse both That sacked Rome too dearely did assay The recompence of their periured oth And ransackt Greece well tryde whē they were wroth Besides subiected Fraunce and Germany Which yet their prayses speake all be they loth And inly tremble at the memory Of Brennus and Bellinus kings of Britany Next them did Gurgunt great Bellinus sonne In rule succeede and eke in fathers prayse He Easterland subdewd and Danmarke
that straunge purport Did vse to hide and plaine apparaunce shonne In plainer wise to tell her grieuaunce she begonne And all attonce discouered her desire With sighes and sobs and plaints piteous griefe The outward sparkes of her in burning fire Which spent in vaine at last she told her briefe That but if she did lend her short reliefe And do her comfort she mote algates dye But the chaste damzell that had neuer priefe Of such malengine and fine forgerie Did easily beleeue her strong extremitie Full easie was for her to haue beliefe Who by self-feeling of her feeble sexe And by long triall of the inward griefe Wherewith imperious loue her hart did vexe Could iudge what paines do louing harts perplexe Who meanes no guile beguiled soonest shall And to faire semblaunce doth light faith annexe The bird that knowes not the false fowlers call Into his hidden net full easily doth fall For thy she would not in discourteise wise Scorne the faire offer of good will profest For great rebuke it is loue to despise Or rudely sdeigne a gentle harts request But with faire countenaunce as beseemed best Her entertaynd nath'lesse she inly deemd Her loue too light to wooe a wandring guest Which she misconstruing thereby esteemd That from like inward fire that outward smoke had steemd Therewith a while she her flit fancy fed Till she mote winne fit time for her desire But yet her wound still inward freshly bled And through her bones the false instilled fire Did spred it selfe and venime close inspire Tho were the tables taken all away And euery knight and euery gentle Squire Can choose his dame with Basciomani gay With whom he meant to make his sport courtly play Some fell to daunce some fell to hazardry Some to make loue some to make meriment As diuerse wits to diuers things apply And all the while faire Malecasta bent Her crafty engins to her close intent By this th' eternall lampes wherewith high loue Doth light the lower world were halfe yspent And the moist daughters of huge Atlas stroue Into the Ocean deepe to driue their weary droue High time it seemed then for euery wight Them to betake vnto their kindly rest Eftsoones long waxen torches weren light Vnto their bowres to guiden euery guest Tho when the Britonesse saw all the rest Auoided quite she gan her selfe despoile And safe commit to her soft fetherednest Where through long watch late dayes weary toile She soundly slept carefull thoughts did quite assoile Now when as all the world in silence deepe Yshrowded was and euery mortall wight Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleepe Faire Malecasta whose engrieued spright Could find no rest in such perplexed plight Lightly arose out of her wearie bed And vnder the blacke vele of guilty Night Her with a scarlot mantle couered That was with gold and Ermines faire enueloped Then panting soft and trembling euery ioynt Her fearfull feete towards the bowre she moued Where she for secret purpose did appoynt To lodge the warlike mayd vnwisely loued And to her bed approching first she prooued Whether she slept or wakt with her soft hand She softly felt if any member mooued And lent her weary eare to vnderstand If any puffe of breath or signe of sence she fond Which whenas none she fond with easie snift For feare least her vnwares she should abrayd Th'embroderd quilt she lightly vp did lift And by her side her selfe she softly layd Of euery finest fingers touch affrayd Ne any noise she made ne word she spake But inly sigh'd At last the royall Mayd Out of her quiet slomber did awake And chaungd her weary side the better ease to take Where feeling one close couched by her side She lightly lept out of her filed bed And to her weapon ran in minde to gride The loathed leachour But the Dame halfe ded Through suddein feare and ghastly drerihed Did shrieke alowd that through the house it rong And the whole family therewith adred Rashly out of their rouzed couches sprong And to the troubled chamber all in armes did throng And those six Knights that Ladies Champions And eke the Redcrosse knight ran to the stownd Halfe armd and halfe vnarmd with them attons Where when confusedly they came they fownd Their Lady lying on the sencelesse grownd On th' other side they saw the warlike Mayd All in her snow-white smocke with locks vnbownd Threatning the point of her auenging blade That with so troublous terrour they were all dismayde About their Lady first they flockt arownd Whom hauing laid in comfortable couch Shortly they reard out of her frosen swownd And afterwards they gan with fowle reproch To stirre vp strife and troublous contecke broch But by ensample of the last dayes losse None of them rashly durst to her approch Ne in so glorious spoile themselues embosse Her succourd eke the Champion of the bloudy Crosse But one of those sixe knights Gardante hight Drew out a deadly bow and arrow keene Which forth he sent with felonous despight And fell intent against the virgin sheene The mortall steele stayd not till it was seene To gore her side yet was the wound not deepe But lightly rased her soft silken skin That drops of purple bloud thereout did weepe Which did her lilly smock with staines of vermeil steepe Wherewith enrag'd she fiercely at them flew And with her flaming sword about her layd That none of them foule mischiefe could eschew But with her dreadfull strokes were all dismayd Here there and euery where about her swayd Her wrathfull steele that none mote it a bide And eke the Redcrosse knight gaue her good aid Ay ioyning foot to foot and side to side That in short space their foes they haue quite terrifide Tho whenas all were put to shamefull flight The noble Britomartis her arayd And her bright armes about her body dight For nothing would she lenger there be stayd Where so loose life and so vngentle trade Was vsd of Knights and Ladies seeming gent So earely ere the grosse Earthes gryesy shade Was all disperst out of the firmament They tooke their steeds forth vpō their iourney went Cant. II. The Redcrosse knight to Britomart describeth Artegall The wondrous myrrhour by which she in loue wth him did fall HEre haue I cause in men iust blame to find That in their proper prayse too partiall bee And not indifferent to woman kind To whom no share in armes and cheualrie They do impart ne maken memorie Of their braue gestes and prowese martiall Scarse do they spare to one or two or three Rowme in their writs yet the same writing small Does all their deeds deface and dims their glories all But by record of anqique times I find That women wont in warres to beare most sway And to all great exploits them selue inclind Of which they still the girlond bore away Till enuious Men fearing their rules decay Gan coyne streight lawes to curb their liberty Yet
did lurke From all mens vew that none might her discoure Yet she might all men vew out of her bowre Great Ptolomaee it for his lemans sake Ybuilded all of glasse by Magicke powre And also it impregnable did make Yet when his loue was false he with a peaze it brake Such was the glassie globe that Merlin made And gaue vnto king Ryence for his gard That neuer foes his kingdome might inuade But he it knew at home before he hard Tydings thereof and so them still debar'd It was a famous Present for a Prince And worthy worke of infinite reward That treasons could bewray and foes conuince Happie this Realme had it remained euer since One day it fortuned faire Britomart Into her fathers closet to repayre For nothing he from her reseru'd apart Being his onely daughter and his hayre Where when she had espyed that mirrhour fayre Her selfe a while therein she vewd in vaine Tho her auizing of the vertues rare Which thereof spoken were she gan againe Her to be thinke of that mote to her selfe pertaine But as it falleth in the gentlest harts Imperious Loue hath highest set his throne And tyrannizeth in the bitter smarts Of them that to him buxome are and prone So thought this Mayd as maydens vse to done Whom fortune for her husband would allot Not that she lusted after any one For she was pure from blame of sinfull blot Yet wist her life at last must lincke in that same knot Eftsoones there was presented to her eye A comely knight all arm'd in complet wize Through whose bright ventayle lifted vp on hye His manly face that did his foes agrize And friends to termes of gentle truce entize Lookt foorth as Phoebus face out of the east Betwixt two shadie mountaines doth arize Portly his person was and much increast Through his Heroicke grace and honorable gest His crest was couered with a couchant Hound And all his armour seem'd of antique mould But woundrous massie and assured sound And round about yfretted all with gold In which there written was with cyphers old Achilles armes which Arthegall did win And on his shield enueloped seuenfold He bore a crowned litle Ermilin That deckt the azure field with her faire pouldred skin The Damzell well did vew his personage And like well ne further fastned not But went her way ne her vnguilty age Did weene vnwares that her vnlucky lot Lay hidden in the bottome of the pot Of hurt vnwift most daunger doth redound But the false Archer which that arrow shot So slyly that she did not feele the wound Did smyle full smoothly at her weetlesse wofull stound Thenceforth the feather in her loftie crest Ruffed of loue gan lowly to auaile And her proud portance and her princely gest With which she earst tryumphed now did quaile Sad solemne sowre and full of fancies fraile She woxe yet wist she neither how nor why She wist not silly Mayd what she did aile Yet wist she was not well at ease perdy Yet thought it was not loue but some melancholy So soone as Night had with her pallid hew Defast the beautie of the shining sky And reft from men the worlds desired vew She with her Nourse adowne to sleepe did lye But sleepe full farre away from her did fly In stead there of fad sighes and sorrowes deepe Kept watch and ward about her warily That nought she did but wayle and often steepe Her daintie couch with teares which closely she did weepe And if that any drop of slombring rest Did chaunce to still into her wearie spright When feeble nature felt her selfe opprest Streight way with dreames and with fantasticke sight Of dreadfull things the same was put to flight That oft out of her bed she did astart As one with vew of ghastly feends affright Tho gan she to renew her former smart And thinke of that faire visage written in her hart One night when she was tost with such vnrest Her aged Nurse whose name was Glauce hight Feeling her leape out of her loathed nest Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight And downe againe in her warme bed her dight Ah my deare daughter ah my dearest dread What vncouth fit said she what euill plight Hath thee opprest and with sad drearyhead Chaunged thy liuely cheare and liuing made thee dead For not of nought these suddeine ghastly feares All night afflict thy naturall repose And all the day when as thine equall peares Their fit disports with faire delight doe chose Thou in dull corners doest thy selfe inclose Ne tastest Princes pleasures ne doest spred Abroad thy fresh youthes fairest flowre but lose Both leafe and fruit both too vntimely shed As one in wilfull bale for euer buried The time that mortall men their weary cares Do lay away and all wilde beastes do rest And euery riuer eke his course forbeares Then doth this wicked euill thee infest And riue with thousand throbs thy thrilled brest Like an huge Aetn ' of deepe engulfed griefe Sorrow is heaped in thy hollow chest Whence forth it breakes in sighes and anguish rife As smoke and sulphure mingled with confused strife Aye me how much I feare least loue it bee But if that loue it be as sure I read By knowen signes and passions which I see Be it worthy of thy race and royall sead Then I auow by this most sacred head Of my deare foster child to ease thy griefe And win thy will Therefore away doe dread For death nor daunger from thy dew reliefe Shall me debarre tell me therefore my liefest liefe So hauing said her twixt her armes twaine She straightly straynd and colled tenderly And euery trembling ioynt and euery vaine She softly felt and rubbed busily To doe the frosen cold away to fly And her faire deawy eies with kisses deare She oft did bath and oft againe did dry And euer her importund not to feare To let the secret of her hart to her appeare The Damzell pauzd and then thus fearefully Ah Nurse what needeth thee to eke my paine Is not enough that I alone doe dye But it must doubled be with death of twaine For nought for me but death there doth remaine O daughter deare said she despaire no whit For neuer sore but might a salue obtaine That blinded God which hath ye blindly smit Another arrow hath your louers hart to hit But mine is not quoth she like others wound For which no reason can find remedy Was neuer such but mote the like be found Said she and though no reason may apply Salue to your sore yet loue can higher stye Then reasons reach and oft hath wonders donne But neither God of loue nor God of sky Can doe said she that which cannot be donne Things oft impossible quoth she seeme ere begonne These idle words said she doe nought asswage My stubborne smart but more annoyance breed For no no vsuall fire no vsuall rage It is ô Nurse which on my life doth feed And suckes the bloud which from
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
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
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
A fit occasion for his turne to find False loue why do men say thou canst not see And in their foolish fancie feigne thee blind That with thy charmes the sharpest sight doest bind And to thy will abuse Thou walkest free And seest euery secret of the mind Thou seest all yet none at all sees thee All that is by the working of thy Deitee So perfect in that art was Paridell That he Melbeccoes halfen eye did wyle His halfen eye he wiled wondrous well And Hellenors both eyes did eke beguyle Both eyes and hart attonce during the whyle That he there soiourned his wounds to heale That Cupid selfe it seeing close did smyle To weet how he her loue away did steale And bad that none their ioyous treason should reueale The learned louer lost no time nor tyde That least auantage mote to him afford Yet bore so faire a saile that none espyde His secret drift till he her layd abord When so in open place and commune bord He fortun'd her to meet with commune speach He courted her yet bayted euery word That his vngentle hoste n'ote him appeach Of vile vngentlenesse or hospitages breach But when apart if euer her apart He found then his false engins fast he plyde And all the sleights vnbosomd in his hart He sigh'd he sobd he swownd he perdy dyde And cast himselfe on ground her fast besyde Tho when againe he him bethought to liue He wept and wayld and false laments belyde Saying but if she Mercie would him giue That he mote algates dye yet did his death forgiue And otherwhiles with amorous delights And pleasing toyes he would her entertaine Now singing sweetly to surprise her sprights Now making layes of loue and louers paine Bransles Ballads virelayes and verses vaine Oft purposes oft riddles he deuysd And thousands like which flowed in his braine With which he fed her fancie and entysd To take to his new loue and leaue her old despysd And euery where he might and euery while He did her seruice dewtifull and sewed At hand with humble pride and pleasing guile So closely yet that none but she it vewed Who well perceiued all and all indewed Thus finely did he his false nets dispred With which he many weake harts had subdewed Of yore and many had ylike misled What wonder then if she were likewise carried No fort so sensible no wals so strong But that continuall battery will riue Or daily siege through dispuruayance long And lacke of reskewes will to parley driue And Peace that vnto parley eare will giue Will shortly yeeld it selfe and will be made The vassall of the victors will by liue That stratageme had oftentimes assayd This crafty Paramoure and now it plaine displayd For through his traines he her intrapped hath That she her loue and hart hath wholy sold To him without regard of gaine or scath Or care of credite or of husband old Whom she hath vow'd to dub a faire Cucquold Nought wants but time and place which shortly shee Deuized hath and to her louer told It pleased well So well they both agree So readie rype to ill ill wemens counsels bee Darke was the Euening fit for louers stealth When chaunst Melbecco busie be elsewhere She to his closet went where all his wealth Lay hid thereof she countlesse summes did reare The which she meant away with her to beare The rest she fyr'd for sport or for despight As Hellene when she saw aloft appeare The Troiane flames and reach to heauens hight Did clap her hands and ioyed at that dolefull sight This second Hellene faire Dame Hellenore The whiles her husband ranne with sory haste To quench the flames which she had tyn'd before Laught at his foolish labour spent in waste And ranne into her louers armes right fast Where streight embraced she to him did cry And call aloud for helpe ere helpe were past For loe that Guest would beare her forcibly And meant to rauish her that rather had to dy The wretched man hearing her call for ayd And readie seeing him with her to fly In his disquiet mind was much dismayd But when againe he backward cast his eye And saw the wicked fire so furiously Consume his hart and scorch his Idoles face He was therewith distressed diuersly Ne wist he how to turne nor to what place Was neuer wretched man in such a wofull cace Ay when to him she cryde to her he turnd And left the fire loue money ouercame But when he marked how his money burnd He left his wife money did loue disclame Both was he loth to loose his loued Dame And loth to leaue his liefest pelfe behind Yet sith he n'ote saue both he sau'd that same Which was the dearest to his donghill mind The God of his desire the ioy of misers blind Thus whilest all things in troublous vprore were And all men busie to suppresse the flame The louing couple need no reskew feare But leasure had and libertie to frame Their purpost flight free from all mens reclame And Night the patronesse of loue-stealth faire Gaue them safe conduct till to end they came So bene they gone yfeare a wanton paire Of louers loosely knit where list them to repaire Soone as the cruell flames yslaked were Malbecco seeing how his losse did lye Out of the flames which he had quencht whylere Into huge waues of griefe and gealosye Full deepe emplonged was and drowned nye Twixt inward doole and felonous despight He rau'd he wept he stampt he lowd did cry And all the passions that in man may light Did him attonce oppresse and vex his caytiue spright Long thus he chawd the cud of inward griefe And did consume his gall with anguish sore Still when he mused on his late mischiefe Then still the smart thereof increased more And seem'd more grieuous then it was before At last when sorrow he saw booted nought Ne griefe might not his loue to him restore He gan deuise how her he reskew mought Ten thousand wayes he cast in his confused thought At last resoluing like a pilgrim pore To seach her forth where so she might be fond And bearing with him treasure in close store The rest he leaues in ground So takes in hond To seeke her endlong both by sea and lond Long he her sought he sought her farre and nere And euery where that he mote vnderstond Of knights and ladies any meetings were And of eachone he met he tydings did inquere But all in vaine his woman was too wise Euer to come into his clouch againe And he too simple euer to surprise The iolly Paridell for all his paine One day as he forpassed by the plaine With weary pace he farre away espide A couple seeming well to be his twaine Which houed close vnder a forrest side As if they lay in waite or else themselues did hide Well weened he that those the same mote bee And as he better did their shape auize Him seemed more their manner did agree For
Bull Europa to withdraw Ah how the fearefull Ladies tender hart Did liuely seeme to tremble when she saw The huge seas vnder her t' obay her seruaunts law Soone after that into a golden showre Him selfe he chaung'd faire Danaë to vew And through the roofe of her strong brasen towre Did raine into her lap an hony dew The whiles her foolish garde that little knew Of such deceipt kept th'yron dore fast bard And watcht that none should enter nor issew Vaine was the watch and bootlesse all the ward Whenas the God to golden hew him selfe transfard Then was he turnd into a snowy Swan To win faire Leda to his louely trade O wondrous skill and sweet wit of the man That her in daffadillies sleeping made From scorching heat her daintie limbes to shade Whiles the proud Bird ruffing his fethers wyde And brushing his faire brest did her inuade She slept yet twixt her eyelids closely spyde How towards her he rusht and smiled at his pryde Then shewd it how the Thebane Semelee Deceiu'd of gealous Iuno did require To see him in his soueraigne maiestee Armd with his thunderbolts and lightning fire Whence dearely she with death bought her desire But faire Alcmena better match did make Ioying his loue in likenesse more entire Three nights in one they say that for her sake He then did put her pleasures lenger to partake Twise was he seene in soaring Eagles shape And with wide wings to beat the buxome ayre Once when he with Asterie did scape Againe when as the Troiane boy so faire He snatcht from Ida hill and with him bare Wondrous delight it was there to behould How the rude Shepheards after him did stare Trembling through feare least down he fallen should And often to him calling to take surer hould In Satyres shape Antiopa he snatcht And like a fire when he Aegin ' assayd A shepheard when Mnemosyne he catcht And like a Serpent to the Thracian mayd Whiles thus on earth great Ioue these pageaunts playd The winged boy did thrust into his throne And scoffing thus vnto his mother sayd Lo now the heauens obey to me alone And take me for their Ioue whiles Ioue to earth is gone And thou faire Phoebus in thy colours bright Wast there enwouen and the sad distresse In which that boy thee plonged for despight That thou bewray'dst his mothers wantonnesse When she with Mars was meynt in ioyfulnesse For thy he thrild thee with a leaden dart To loue faire Daphne which thee loued lesse Lesse she thee lou'd then was thy iust desart Yet was thy loue her death her death was thy smart So louedst thou the lusty Hyacinct So louedst thou the faire Coroxis deare Yet both are of thy haplesse hand extinct Yet both in flowres do liue and loue thee beare The one a Paunce the other a sweet breare For griefe whereof ye mote haue liuely seene The God himselfe rending his golden heare And breaking quite his gyrlond euer greene With other signes of sorrow and impatient teene Both for those two and for his owne deare sonne The sonne of Climene he did repent Who bold to guide the charet of the Sunne Himselfe in thousand peeces fondly rent And all the world with flashing fier brent So like that all the walles did seeme to flame Yet cruell Cupid not herewith content Forst him eftsoones to follow other game And loue a Shepheards daughter for his dearest Dame He loued Isse for his dearest Dame And for her sake her cattell fed a while And for her sake a cowheard vile became The seruant of Admetus cowheard vile Whiles that from heauen he suffered exile Long were to tell each other louely fit Now like a Lyon hunting after spoile Now like a Hag now like a faulcon flit All which in that faire arras was most liuely writ Next vnto him was Neptune pictured In his diuine resemblance wondrous lyke His face was rugged and his hoarie hed Dropped with brackish deaw his three-forkt Pyke He stearnly shooke and therewith fierce did stryke The raging billowes that on euery syde They trembling stood and made a long broad dyke That his swift charet might haue passage wyde Which foure great Hippodames did draw in temewise tyde His sea-horses did seeme to snort amayne And from their nosethrilles blow the brynie streame That made the sparckling waues to smoke agayne And flame with gold but the white fomy creame Did shine with siluer and shoot forth his beame The God himselfe did pensiue seeme and sad And hong adowne his head as he did dreame For priuy loue his brest empierced had Ne ought but deare Bisaltis ay could make him glad He loued eke Iphimedia deare And Aeolus faire daughter Arne hight For whom he turnd him selfe into a Steare And fed on fodder to beguile her sight Also to win Deucalions daughter bright Her turnd him selfe into a Dolphin fayre And like a winged horse he tooke his flight To snaly-locke Medusa to repayre On whom he got faire Pegasus that flitteth in the ayre Next Saturne was but who would euer weene That sullein Saturne euer weend to loue Yet loue is sullein and Saturnlike seene As he did for Erigone it proue That to a Centaure did him selfe transmoue So proou'd it eke that gracious God of wine When for to compasse Philliras hard loue He turnd himselfe into a fruitfull vine And into her faire bosome made his grapes decline Long were to tell the amorous assayes And gentle pangues with which he maked meeke The mighty Mars to learne his wanton playes How oft for Venus and how often eek For many other Nymphes he sore did shreek With womanish teares and with vnwarlike smarts Priuily moystening his horrid cheek There was he painted full of burning darts And many wide woundes launched through his inner parts Ne did he spare so cruell was the Elfe His owne deare mother ah why should he so Ne did he spare sometime to pricke himselfe That he might tast the sweet consuming woe Which he had wrought to many others moe But to declare the mournfull Trage dyes And spoiles wherewith he all the ground did strow More eath to number with how many eyes High heauen beholds sad louers nightly theeueryes Kings Queenes Lords Ladies Knights Damzels gent Were heap'd together with the vulgar sort And mingled with the raskall rablement Without respect of person or of port To shew Dan Cupids powre and great effort And round about a border was entrayld Of broken bowes and arrowes shiuered short And a long bloudy riuer through them rayld So liuely and so like that liuing sence it fayld And at the vpper end of that faire rowme There was an Altar built of pretious stone Of passing valew and of great renowme On which there stood an Image all alone Of massy gold which with his owne light shone And wings it had with sundry colours dight More sundry colours then the proud Pauone Beares in his boasted fan or Iris bright When her discolourd bow she
his mistrustfull eyes And nicely trode as thornes lay in his way Or that the flore to shrinke he did auyse And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps which shrunke when hard theron he lay With him went Daunger cloth ' in ragged weed Made of Beares skin that him more dreadfull made Yet his owne face was dreadfull ne did need Straunge horrour to deforme his griesly shade A net in th' one hand and a rustie blade In th' other was this Mischiefe that Mishap With th' one his foes he threatned to inuade With th' other he his friends ment to enwrap For whom he could not kill he practizd to entrap Next him was Feare all arm'd from top to toe Yet thought himselfe not safe enough thereby But feard each shadow mouing to and fro And his owne armes when glittering he did spy Or clashing heard he fast away did fly As ashes pale of hew and wingyheeld And euermore on daunger fixt his eye Gainst whom he alwaies bent a brasen shield Which his right hand vnarmed fearefully did wield With him went Hope in rancke a handsome Mayd Of chearefull looke and louely to behold In silken samite she was light arayd And her faire lockes were wouen vp in gold She alway smyld and in her hand did hold An holy water Sprinckle dipt in deowe With which she sprinckled fauours manifold On whom she list and did great liking sheowe Great liking vnto many but true loue to feowe And after them Dissemblance and Suspect Marcht in one rancke yet an vnequall paire For she was gentle and of milde aspect Courteous to all and seeming debonaire Goodly adorned and exceeding faire Yet was that all but painted and purloynd And her bright browes were deckt with borrowed haire Her deedes were forged and her words false coynd And alwaies in her hand two clewes of silke she twynd But he was foule ill fauoured and grim Vnder his eyebrowes looking still askaunce And euer as Dissemblance laught on him He lowrd on her with daungerous eyeglaunce Shewing his nature in his countenance His rolling eyes did neuer rest in place But walkt each where for feare of hid mischaunce Holding a lattice still before his face Through which he still did peepe as forward he did pace Next him went Griefe and Fury matcht yfere Griefe all in sable sorrowfully clad Downe hanging his dull head with heauy chere Yet inly being more then seeming sad A paire of Pincers in his hand he had With which he pinched people to the hart That from thenceforth a wretched life they lad In wilfull languor and consuming smart Dying each day with inward wounds of dolours dart But Fury was full ill appareiled In rags that naked nigh she did appeare With ghastly lookes and dreadfull drerihed For from her backe her garments she did teare And from her head oft rent her snarled heare In her right hand a firebrand she did tosse About her head still roming here and there As a dismayed Deare in chace embost Forgetfull of his safety hath his right way lost After them went Displeasure and Pleasance He looking lompish and full sullein sad And hanging downe his heauy countenance She chearefull fresh and full of ioyance glad As if no sorrow she ne felt ne drad That euill matched paire they seemd to bee An angry Waspe th' one in a viall had Th' other in hers an hony-lady Bee Thus marched these sixe couples forth in faire degree After all these there marcht a most faire Dame Led of two grysie villeins th' one Despight The other cleped Cruelty by name She dolefull Lady like a dreary Spright Cald by strong charmes out of eternall night Had deathes owne image figurd in her face Full of sad signes fearefull to liuing sight Yet in that horror shewd a seemely grace And with her feeble feet did moue a comely pace Her brest all naked as net iuory Without adorne of gold or siluer bright Wherewith the Craftesman wonts it beautify Of her dew honour was despoyled quight And a wide wound therein O ruefull sight Entrenched deepe with knife accursed keene Yet freshly bleeding forth her fainting spright The worke of cruell hand was to be seene That dyde in sanguine red her skin all snowy cleene At that wide orisice her trembling hart Was drawne forth and in siluer basin layd Quite through transfixed with a deadly dart And in her bloud yet steeming fresh embayd And those two villeins which her steps vpstayd When her weake feete could scarcely her sustaine And fading vitall powers gan to fade Her forward still with torture did constraine And euermore encreased her consuming paine Next after her the winged God himselfe Came riding on a Lion rauenous Taught to obay the menage of that Elfe That man and beast with powre imperious Subdeweth to his knigdome tyrannous His blindfold eyes he bad a while vnbind That his proud spoyle of that same dolorous Faire Dame he might behold in perfect kind Which seene he much reioyced in his cruell mind Of which full proud himselfe vp rearing hye He looked round about with sterne disdaine And did suruay his goodly company And marshalling the euill ordered traine With that the darts which his right did straine Full dreadfully he shooke that all did quake And clapt on hie his coulourd winges twaine That all his many it affraide did make Tho blinding him againe his way he forth did take Behinde him was Reproch Repentance Shame Reproch the first Shame next Repent behind Repentance feeble sorrowfull and lame Reproch despightfull carelesse and vnkind Shame most ill fauourd bestiall and blind Shame lowrd Repentance sigh'd Reproch did scould Reproch sharpe stings Repentance whips entwind Shame burning brond-yrons in her hand did hold All three to each vnlike yet all made in one mould And after them a rude confused rout Of persons flockt whose names is hard to read Emongst them was sterne Strife and Anger stout Vnquiet Care and fond Vnthriftihead Lewd Losse of Time and Sorrow seeming dead Inconstant Chaunge and false Disloyaltie Consuming Riotise and guilty Dread Of heauenly vengeance faint Infirmitie Vile Pouertie and lastly Death with infamie There were full many moe like maladies Whose names and natures I note readen well So many moe as there be phantasies In wauering wemens wit that none can tell Or paines in loue or punishments in hell And which disguized marcht in masking wise About the chamber with that Damozell And then returned hauing marched thrise Into the inner roome from whence they first did rise So soone as they were in the dore streight way Fast locked driuen with that stormy blast Which first it opened and bore all away Then the braue Maid which all this while was plast In secret shade and saw both first and last Issewed forth and went vnto the dore To enter in but found it locked fast It vaine she thought with rigorous vprore For to efforce when charmes had closed it afore Where force might not auaile their sleights and art
was betraide Then gan she loudly cry and weepe and waile And that same Squire of treason to vpbraide But all in vaine her plaints might not preuaile Ne none there was to reskue her ne none to baile Then tooke he that same Dwarfe and him compeld To open vnto him the prison dore And forth to bring those thrals which there he held Thence forth were brought to him aboue a score Of Knights and Squires to him vnknowne afore All which he did from bitter bondage free And vnto former liberty restore Amongst the rest that Squire of low degree Came forth full weake and wan not like him selfe to bee Whom soone as faire Aemylia beheld And Placidas they both vnto him ran And him embracing fast betwixt them held Striuing to comfort him all that they can And kissing oft his visage pale and wan That faire Paeana them beholding both Gan both enuy and bitterly to ban Through iealous passion weeping inly wroth To see the sight perforce that both her eyes were loth But when a while they had together beene And diuersly conferred of their case She though full oft she both of them had seene Asunder yet not euer in one place Began to doubt when she them saw embrace Which was the captiue Squire she lou'd so deare Deceiued through great likenesse of their face For they so like in person did appeare That she vneath discerned whether whether weare And eke the Prince when as he them auized Their like resemblaunce much admired there And mazd how nature had so well disguized Her worke and counterfet her selfe so nere As if that by one patterne seene somewhere She had them made a paragone to be Or whether it through skill or errour were Thus gazing long at them much wondred he So did the other knights and Squires which him did see Then gan they ransacke that same Castle strong In which he found great store of hoorded threasure The which that tyrant gathered had by wrong And tortious powre without respect or measure Vpon all which the Briton Prince made seasure And afterwards continu'd there a while To rest him selfe and solace in soft pleasure Those weaker Ladies after weary toile To whom he did diuide part of his purchast spoile And for more ioy that captiue Lady faire The faire Paeana he enlarged free And by the rest did set in sumptuous chaire To feastand frollicke nathemore would she Shew gladsome countenaunce nor pleasaunt glee But grieued was for losse both of her sire And eke of Lordship with both land and fee But most she touched was with griefe entire For losse of her new loue the hope of her desire But her the Prince through his well wonted grace To better termes of myldnesse did entreat From that fowle rudenesse which did her deface And that same bitter corsiue which did eat Her tender heart and made refraine from meat He with good thewes and speaches well applyde Did mollifie and calme her raging heat For though she were most faire and goodly dyde Yet she it all did mar with cruelty and pride And for to shut vp all in friendly loue Sith loue was first the ground of all her griefe That trusty Squire he wisely well did moue Not to despise that dame which lou'd him liefe Till he had made of her some better priefe But to accept her to his wedded wife Thereto he offred for to make him chiefe Of all her land and lordship during life He yeelded and her tooke so stinted all their strife From that day forth in peace and ioyous blis They liu'd together long without debate Ne priuate iarre ne spite of enemis Could shake the safe assuraunce of their state And she whom Nature did so faire create That she mote match the fairest of her daies Yet with lewd loues and lust intemperate Had it defaste thenceforth reformd her waies That all men much admyrde her change and spake her praise Thus when the Prince had perfectly compylde These paires of friends in peace and setled rest Him selfe whose minde did trauell as with chylde Of his old loue conceau'd in secret brest Resolued to pursue his former guest And taking leaue of all with him did beare Faire Amoret whom Fortune by bequest Had left in his protection whileare Exchanged out of one into an other feare Feare of her safety did her not constraine For well she wist now in a mighty hond Her person late in perill did remaine Who able was all daungers to withstond But now in feare of shame she more did stond Seeing her selfe all soly succourlesse Left in the victors powre like vassall bond Whose will her weakenesse could no way represse In case his burning lust should breake into excesse But cause of feare sure had she none at all Of him who goodly learned had of yore The course of loose affection to forstall And lawlesse lust to rule with reasons lore That all the while he by his side her bore She was as safe as in a Sanctuary Thus many miles they two together wore To seeke their loues dispersed diuersly Yet neither shewed to other their hearts priuity At length they came whereas a troupe of Knights They saw together skirmishing as seemed Sixe they were all all full offell despight But foure of them the battell best beseemed That which of them was best mote not be deemed Those foure were they from whom false Florimell By Braggadochio lately was redeemed To weet sterne Druon and lewd Claribell Loue-lauish Blandamour and lustfull Paridell Druons delight was all in single life And vnto Ladies loue would lend no leasure The more was Claribell enraged rise With feruent flames and loued out of measure So eke lou'd Blandamour but yet at pleasure Would change his liking and new Lemans proue But Paridell of loue did make no threasure But lusted after all that him did moue So diuersly these foure disposed were to loue But those two other which beside them stoode Were Britomart and gentle Scudamour Who all the while beheld their wrathfull moode And wondred at their impacable stoure Whose like they neuer saw till that same houre So dreadfull strokes each did at other driue And laid on load with all their might and powre As if that euery dint the ghost would riue Out of their wretched corses and their liues depriue As when Dan AEolus in great displeasure For losse of his deare loue by Neptune hent Sends forth the winds out of his hidden threasure Vpon the sea to wreake his fell intent They breaking forth with rude vnruliment From all foure parts of heauen doe rage full sore And tosse the deepes and teare the firmament And all the world confound with wide vprore As if in stead thereof they Chaos would restore Cause of their discord and so fell debate Was for the loue of that same snowy maid Whome they had lost in Turneyment of late And seeking long to weet which way she straid Met here together where through lewd vpbraide Of Ate and Duessa
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
And them repaide againe with double more So long they fought that all the grassie flore Was fild with bloud which from their sides did flow And gushed through their armes that all in gore They trode and on the ground their liues did strow Like fruitles seede of which vntimely death should grow At last proud Radigund with fell despight Hauing by chaunce espide aduantage neare Let driue at her with all her dreadfull might And thus vpbrayding said This token beare Vnto the man whom thou doest loue so deare And tell him for his sake thy life thou gauest Which spitefull words she sore engrieu'd to heare Thus answer'd Lewdly thou my loue deprauest Who shortly must repent that now so vainely brauest Nath'lesse that stroke so cruell passage found That glauncing on her shoulder plate it bit Vnto the bone and made a griesly wound That she her shield through raging smart of it Could scarse vphold yet soone she it requit For hauing force increast through furious paine She her so rudely on the helmet smit That it empierced to the very braine And her proud person low prostrated on the plaine Where being layd the wrothfull Britonesse Stayd not till she came to her selfe againe But in reuenge both of her loues distresse And her late vile reproch though vaunted vaine And also of her wound which sore did paine She with one stroke both head and helmet cleft Which dreadfull sight when all her warlike traine There present saw each one of sence bereft Fled fast into the towne and her sole victor left But yet so fast they could not home retrate But that swift Talus did the formost win And pressing through the preace vnto the gate Pelmell with them attonce did enter in There then a piteous slaughter did begin For all that euer came within his reach He with his yron flale did thresh so thin That he no worke at all left for the leach Like to an hideous storme which nothing may empeach And now by this the noble Conqueresse Her selfe came in her glory to partake Where though reuengefull vow she did professe Yet when she saw the heapes which he did make Of slaughtred carkasses her heart did quake For very ruth which did it almost riue That she his fury willed him to slake For else he sure had left not one aliue But all in his reuenge of spirite would depriue Tho when she had his execution stayd She for that yron prison did enquire In which her wretched loue was captiue layd Which breaking open with indignant ire She entred into all the partes entire Where when she saw that lothly vncouth sight Of men disguiz'd in womanishe attire Her heart gan grudge for very deepe despight Of so vnmanly maske in misery misdight At last when as to her owne Loue she came Whom like disguize no lesse deformed had At sight thereof abasht with secrete shame She turnd her head aside as nothing glad To haue beheld a spectacle so bad And then too well beleeu'd that which tofore Iealous suspect as true vntruely drad Which vaine conceipt now nourishing no more She sought with ruth to salue his sad misfortunes sore Not so great wonder and astonishment Did the most chast Penelope possesse To see her Lord that was reported drent And dead long since in dolorous distresse Come home to her in piteous wretchednesse After long trauell of full twenty yeares That she knew not his fauours likelynesse For many scarres and many hoary heares But stood long staring on him mongst vncertaine feares Ah my deare Lord what sight is this quoth she What May-game hath misfortune made of you Where is that dreadfull manly looke where be Those mighty palmes the which ye wont t'embrew In bloud of Kings and great hoastes to subdew Could ought on earth so wondrous change haue wrought As to haue robde you of that manly hew Could so great courage stouped haue to ought Then farewell fleshly force I see thy pride is nought Thenceforth she streight into a bowre him brought And causd him those vncomely weedes vndight And in their steede for other rayment sought Whereof there was great store and armors bright Which had bene reft from many a noble Knight Whom that proud Amazon subdewed had Whilest Fortune fauourd her successe in fight In which when as she him anew had clad She was reuiu'd and ioyd much in his semblance glad So there a while they afterwards remained Him to refresh and her late wounds to heale During which space she there as Princes rained And changing all that forme of common weale The liberty of women did repeale Which they had long vsurpt and them restoring To mens subiection did true Iustice deale That all they as a Goddesse her adoring Her wisedome did admire and hearkned to her loring For all those Knights which long in captiue shade Had shrowded bene she did from thraldome free And magistrates of all that city made And gaue to them great liuing and large fee And that they should for euer faithfull bee Made them sweare fealty to Artegall Who when him selfe now well recur'd did see He purposd to proceed what so be fall Vppon his first aduenture which him forth did call Full sad and sorrowfull was Britomart For his departure her new cause of griefe Yet wisely moderated her owne smart Seeing his honor which she tendred chiefe Consisted much in that aduentures priefe The care whereof and hope of his successe Gaue vnto her great comfort and reliefe That womanish complaints she did represse And tempred for the time her present heauinesse There she continued for a certaine space Till through his want her woe did more increase Then hoping that the change of aire and place Would change her paine and sorrow somewhat ease She parted thence her anguish to appease Meane while her noble Lord sir Artegall Went on his way ne euer howre did cease Till he redeemed had that Lady thrall That for another Canto will more fitly fall Cant. VIII Prince Arthure and Sir Artegall Free Samient from feare They slay the Soudan driue his wife A dicia to despaire NOught vnder heauen so strongly doth allure The sence of man and all his minde possesse As beauties lonely baite that doth procure Great warriours oft their rigour to represse And mighty hands forget their manlinesse Drawne with the powre of an heart-robbing eye And wrapt in fetters of a golden tresse That can with melting pleasaunce mollifye Their hardned hearts enur'd to bloud and cruelty So whylome learnd that mighty Iewish swaine Each of whose lockes did match a man in might To lay his spoiles before his lemans traine So also did that great Octean Knight For his loues sake his Lions skin vndight And so did warlike Antony neglect The worlds whole rule for Cleopatras sight Such wondrous powre hath wemens faire aspect To captiue men and make them all the world reiect Yet could it not sterne Artegall retaine Nor hold from suite of his auowed quest Which he had
foules to feede vpon for their repast Thence forth they passed with that gentle Mayd To see her Ladie as they did agree To which when she approched thus she sayd Loe now right noble knights arriu'd ye bee Nigh to the place which ye desir'd to see There shall ye see my souerayne Lady Queene Most sacred wight most debonayre and free That euer yet vpon this earth was seene Or that with Diademe hath euer crowned beene The gentle knights reioyced much to heare The prayses of that Prince so manifold And passing litle further commen were Where they a stately pallace did behold Of pompous show much more then she had told With many towres and tarras mounted hye And all their tops bright glittering with gold That seemed to out shine the dimmed skye And with their brightnesse daz'd the straunge beholders eye There they alighting by that Damzell were Directed in and shewed all the sight Whose porch that most magnificke did appeare Stood open wyde to all men day and night Yet warded well by one of mickle might That sate thereby with gyantlike resemblance To keepe out guyle and malice and despight That vnder shew oftimes of fayned semblance Are wont in Princes courts to worke great scath and hindrance His name was Awe by whom they passing in Went vp the hall that was a large wyde roome All full of people making troublous din And wondrous noyse as if that there were some Which vnto them was dealing righteous doome By whom they passing through the thickest preasse The marshall of the hall to them did come His name hight Order who commaunding peace Them guyded through the throng that did their clamors ceasse They ceast their clamors vpon them to gaze Whom seeing all in armour bright as day Straunge there to see it did them much amaze And with vnwonted terror halfe affray For neuer saw they there the like array Ne euer was the name of warre there spoken But ioyous peace and quietnesse alway Dealing iust iudgements that mote not be broken For any brybes or threates of any to be wroken There as they entred at the Scriene they saw Some one whose tongue was for his trespasse vyle Nayld to a post adiudged so by law For that therewith he falsely did reuyle And foule blaspheme that Queene for forged guyle Both with bold speaches which he blazed had And with lewd poems which he did compyle For the bold title of a Poet bad He on himselfe had ta'en and rayling rymes had sprad Thus there he stood whylest high ouer his head There written was the purport of his sin In cyphers strange that few could rightly read BON FONS but bon that once had written bin Was raced out and Mal was now put in So now Malfont was plainely to be red Eyther for th' euill which he did therein Or that he likened was to a welhed Of euill words and wicked sclaunders by him shed They passing by were guyded by degree Vnto the presence of that gratious Queene Who sate on high that she might all men see And might of all men royally be seene Vpon a throne of gold full bright and sheene Adorned all with gemmes of endlesse price As either might for wealth haue gotten bene Or could be fram'd by workmans rare deuice And all embost with Lyons and with Flourdelice All ouer her a cloth of state was spred Not of rich tissew nor of cloth of gold Nor of ought else that may be richest red But like a cloud as likest may be told That her brode spreading wings did wyde vnfold Whose skirts were bordred with bright sunny beams Glistring like gold amongst the plights enrold And here and there shooting forth siluer streames Mongst which crept litle Angels through the glittering gleames Seemed those litle Angels did vphold The cloth of state and on their purpled wings Did beare the pendants through their nimblesse bold Besides a thousand more of such as sings Hymnes to high God and carols heauenly things Encompassed the throne on which she sate She Angel-like the heyre of ancient kings And mightie Conquerors in royall state Whylest kings and kesars at her feet did them prostrate Thus she did fit in souerayne Maiestie Holding a Scepter in her royall hand The sacred pledge of peace and clemencie With which high God had blest her happie land Maugre so many foes which did withstand But at her feet her sword was likewise layde Whose long rest rusted the bright steely brand Yet when as foes enforst or friends sought ayde She could it sternely draw that all the world dismayde And round about before her feet there sate A beuie of faire Virgins clad in white That goodly seem'd t' adorne her royall state All louely daughters of high Ioue that hight Litae by him begot in loues delight Vpon the righteous Themis those they say Vpon Ioues iudgement seat wayt day and night And when in wrath he threats the worlds decay They doe his anger calme and cruell vengeance stay They also doe by his diuine permission Vpon the thrones of mortall Princes tend And often treat for pardon and remission To suppliants through frayltie which offend Those did vpon Mercillaes throne attend Iust Dice wise Eunomie myld Eirene And them amongst her glorie to commend Sate goodly Temperance in garments clene And sacred Reuerence yborne of heauenly strene Thus did she sit in royall rich estate Admyr'd of many honoured of all Whylest vnderneath her feete there as she sate An huge great Lyon lay that mote appall An hardie courage like captiued thrall With a strong yron chaine and coller bound That once he could not moue nor quich at all Yet did he murmure with rebellions sound And softly royne when saluage choler gan redound So sitting high in dreaded souerayntie Those two strange knights were to her presence brought Who bowing low before her Maiestie Did to her myld obeysance as they ought And meekest boone that they imagine mought To whom she eke inclyning her withall As a faire stoupe of her high soaring thought A chearefull countenance on them let fall Yet tempred with some maiestie imperiall As the bright sunne what time his fierie teme Towards the westerne brim begins to draw Gins to abate the brightnesse of his beme And feruour of his flames somewhat adaw So did this mightie Ladie when she saw Those two strange knights such homage to her make Bate somewhat of that Maiestie and awe That whylome wont to doe so many quake And with more myld aspect those two to entertake Now at that instant as occasion fell When these two stranger knights arriu'd in place She was about affaires of common wele Dealing of Iustice with indifferent grace And hearing pleas of people meane and base Mongst which as then there was for to be heard The tryall of a great and weightie case Which on both sides was then debating hard But at the sight of these those were a while debard But after all her princely entertayne To th' hearing of
forlore Whether withheld from me by wrongfull might Or with her owne good will I cannot read aright But sure to me her faith she first did plight To be my loue and take me for her Lord Till that a Tyrant which Grandtorto hight With golden giftes and many a guilefull word Entyced her to him for to accord O who may not with gifts and words be tempted Sith which she hath me euer since abhord And to my foe hath guilefully consented Ay me that euer guyle in wemen was inuented And now he hath this troupe of villains sent By open force to fetch her quite away Gainst whom my selfe I long in vaine haue bent To rescue her and daily meanes assay Yet rescue her thence by no meanes I may For they doe me with multitude oppresse And with vnequall might doe ouerlay That oft I driuen am to great distresse And forced to forgoe th' attempt remedilesse But why haue ye said Artegall forborne Your owne good shield in daungerous dismay That is the greatest shame and foulest scorne Which vnto any knight behappen may To loose the badge that should his deedes display To whom Sir Burbon blushing halfe for shame That shall I vnto you quoth he bewray Least ye therefore mote happily me blame And deeme it doen of will that through inforcement came True is that I at first was dubbed knight By a good knight the knight of the Redcrosse Who when he gaue me armes in field to fight Gaue me a shield in which he did endosse His deare Redeemers badge vpon the bosse The same long while I bore and therewithall Fought many battels without wound or losse Therewith Grandtorto selfe I did appall And made him oftentimes in field before me fall But for that many did that shield enuie And cruell enemies increased more To stint all strife and troublous enmitie That bloudie scutchin being battered sore I layd aside and haue of late forbore Hoping thereby to haue my loue obtayned Yet can I not my loue haue nathemore For she by force is still fro me detayned And with corruptfull brybes is to vntruth mis-trayned To whom thus Artegall Certes Sir knight Hard is the case the which ye doe complaine Yet not so hard for nought so hard may light That it to such a streight mote you constraine As to abandon that which doth containe Your honours stile that is your warlike shield All perill ought be lesse and lesse all paine Then losse of fame in disauentrous field Dye rather then doe ought that mote dishonour yield Not so quoth he for yet when time doth serue My former shield I may resume againe To temporize is not from truth to swerue Ne for aduantage terme to entertaine When as necessitie doth it constraine Fie on such forgerie said Artegall Vnder one hood to shadow faces twaine Knights ought be true and truth is one in all Of all things to dissemble fouly may befall Yet let me you of courtesie request Said Burbon to assist me now at need Against these pesants which haue me opprest And forced me to so infamous deed That yet my loue may from their hands be freed Sir Artegall albe he earst did wyte His wauering mind yet to his aide agreed And buckling him eftsoones vnto the fight Did set vpon those troupes withall his powre and might Who flocking round about them as a swarme Of flyes vpon a birchen bough doth cluster Did them assault with terrible allarme And ouer all the fields themselues did muster With bils and glayues making a dreadfull luster That forst at first those knights backe to retyre As when the wrathfull Boreas doth bluster Nought may abide the tempest of his yre Both man and beast doe fly and succour doe inquyre But when as ouerblowen was that brunt Those knights began a fresh them to assayle And all about the fields like Squirrels hunt But chiefly Talus with his yron flayle Gainst which no flight nor rescue mote auayle Made cruell hauocke of the baser crew And chaced them both ouer hill and dale The raskall manie soone they ouerthrew But the two knights thēselues their captains did subdew At last they came whereas that Ladie bode Whom now her keepers had forsaken quight To saue themselues and scattered were abrode Her halfe dismayd they found in doubtfull plight As neither glad nor sorie for their sight Yet wondrous faire she was and richly clad In roiall robes and many Iewels dight But that those villens through their vsage bad Them fouly rent and shamefully defaced had But Burbon streight dismounting from his steed Vnto her ran with greedie great desyre And catching her fast by her ragged weed Would haue embraced her with hart entyre But she backstarting with disdainefull yre Bad him auaunt ne would vnto his lore Allured be for prayer nor for meed Whom when those knights so forward and forlore Beheld they her rebuked and vpbrayded sore Sayd Artegall what foule disgrace is this To so faire Ladie as ye seeme in sight To blot your beautie that vnblemisht is With so foule blame as breach of faith once plight Or change of loue for any worlds delight Is ought on earth so pretious or deare As prayse and honour Or is ought so bright And beautifull as glories beames appeare Whose goodly light then Phebus lampe doth shine more cleare Why then will ye fond Dame attempted bee Vnto a strangers loue so lightly placed For guiftes of gold or any worldly glee To leaue the loue that ye before embraced And let your fame with falshood be defaced Fie on the pelfe for which good name is sold And honour with indignitie debased Dearer is loue then life and fame then gold But dearer thē them both your faith once plighted hold Much was the Ladie in her gentle mind Abasht at his rebuke that bit her neare Ne ought to answere thereunto did find But hanging downe her head with heauie cheare Stood long amaz'd as she amated weare Which Burbon seeing her againe assayd And clasping twixt his armes her vp did reare Vpon his steede whiles she no whit gainesayd So bore her quite away nor well nor ill apayd Nathlesse the yron man did still pursew That raskall many with vnpittied spoyle Ne ceassed not till all their scattred crew Into the sea he droue quite from that soyle The which they troubled had with great turmoyle But Artegall seeing his cruell deed Commaunded him from slaughter to recoyle And to his voyage gan againe proceed For that the terme approching fast required speed Cant. XII Artegall doth Sir Burbon aide And blames for changing shield He with the great Grantorto fights And slaieth him in field O Sacred hunger of ambitious mindes And impotent desire of men to raine Whom neither dread of God that deuils bindes Nor lawes of men that common weales containe Nor bands of nature that wilde beastes restraine Can keepe from outrage and from doing wrong Where they may hope a kingdome to obtaine No faith so firme no trust can be
to tell Till that as comes by course I doe recite What fortune to the Briton Prince did lite Pursuing that proud Knight the which whileare Wrought to Sir Calidore so foule despight And eke his Lady though she sickely were So lewdly had abusde as ye did lately heare The Prince according to the former token Which faire Serene to him deliuered had Pursu'd him streight in mynd to bene ywroken Of all the vile demeane and vsage bad With which he had those two so ill bestad Ne wight with him on that aduenture went But that wylde man whom though he oft forbad Yet for no bidding nor for being shent Would he restrayned be from his attendement Arriuing there as did by chaunce befall He found the gate wyde ope and in he rode Ne stayd till that he came into the hall Where soft dismounting like a weary lode Vpon the ground with feeble feete he trode As he vnable were for very neede To moue one foote but there must make abode The whiles the saluage man did take his steede And in some stable neare did set him vp to feede Ere long to him a homely groome there came That in rude wise him asked what he was That durst so boldly without let or shame Into his Lords forbidden hall to passe To whom the Prince him fayning to embase Mylde answer made he was an errant Knight The which was fall'n into this feeble case Through many wounds which lately he in fight Receiued had and prayd to pitty his ill plight But he the more outrageous and bold Sternely did bid him quickely thence auaunt Or deare aby for why his Lord of old Did hate all errant Knights which there did haunt Ne lodging would to any of them graunt And therefore lightly bad him packe away Not sparing him with bitter words to taunt And therewithall rude hand on him did lay To thrust him out of dore doing his worst assay Which when the Saluage comming now in place Beheld eftsoones he all enraged grew And running streight vpon that villaine base Like a fell Lion at him fiercely flew And with his teeth and nailes in present vew Him rudely rent and all to peeces tore So miserably him all helpelesse slew That with the noise whilest he did loudly rore The people of the house rose forth in great vprore Who when on ground they saw their fellow slaine And that same Knight and Saluage standing by Vpon them two they fell with might and maine And on them layd so huge and horribly As if they would haue slaine them presently But the bold Prince defended him so well And their assault withstood so mightily That maugre all their might he did repell And beat them back whilest many vnderneath him fell Yet he them still so sharpely did pursew That few of them he left aliue which fled Those euill tidings to their Lord to shew Who hearing how his people badly sped Came forth in hast where when as with the dead He saw the ground all strow'd and that same Knight And saluage with their bloud fresh steeming red He woxe nigh mad with wrath and fell despight And with reprochfull words him thus bespake on hight Art thou he traytor that with treason vile Hast slaine my men in this vnmanly maner And now triumphest in the piteous spoile Of these poore folk whose soules with black dishonor And foule defame doe decke thy bloudy baner The meede whereof shall shortly be thy shame And wretched end which still attendeth on her With that him selfe to battell he did frame So did his forty yeomen which there with him came With dreadfull force they all did him assaile And round about with boystrous strokes oppresse That on his shield did rattle like to haile In a great tempest that in such distresse He wist not to which side him to addresse And euermore that crauen cowherd Knight Was at his backe with heartlesse heedinesse Wayting if he vnwares him murther might For cowardize doth still in villany delight Whereof whenas the Prince was well aware He to him turnd with furious intent And him against his powre gan to prepare Like a fierce Bull that being busie bent To fight with many foes about him ment Feeling some curre behinde his heeles to bite Turnes him about with fell auengement So likewise turnde the Prince vpon the Knight And layd at him amaine with all his will and might Who when he once his dreadfull strokes had tasted Durst not the furie of his force abyde But turn'd abacke and to retyre him hasted Through the thick prease there thinking him to hyde But when the Prince had once him plainely eyde He foot by foot him followed alway Ne would him suffer once to shrinke asyde But ioyning close huge lode at him did lay Who flying still did ward and warding fly away But when his foe he still so eger saw Vnto his heeles himselfe he did betake Hoping vnto some refuge to withdraw Ne would the Prince him euer foot forsake Where so he went but after him did make He fled from roome to roome from place to place Whylest euery ioynt for dread of death did quake Still looking after him that did him chace That made him euermore increase his speedie pace At last he vp into the chamber came Whereas his loue was sitting all alone Wayting what tydings of her folke became There did the Prince him ouertake anone Crying in vaine to her him to bemone And with his sword him on the head did smyte That to the gound he fell in senselesse swone Yet whether thwart or flatly it did lyte The tempred steele did not into his braynepan byte Which when the Ladie saw with great affright She starting vp began to shrieke aloud And with her garment couering him from sight Seem'd vnder her protection him to shroud And falling lowly at his feet her bowd Vpon her knee intreating him for grace And often him besought and prayd and vowd That with the ruth of her so wretched case He stayd his second strooke and did his hand abase Her weed she then withdrawing did him discouer Who now come to himselfe yet would not rize But still did lie as dead and quake and quiuer That euen the Prince his basenesse did despize And eke his Dame him seeing in such guize Gan him recomfort and from ground to reare Who rising vp at last in ghastly wize Like troubled ghost did dreadfully appeare As one that had no life him left through former feare Whom when the Prince so deadly saw dismayd He for such basenesse shamefully him shent And with sharpe words did bitterly vpbrayd Vile cowheard dogge now doe I much repent That euer I this life vnto thee lent Whereof thou caytiue so vnworthie art That both thy loue for lacke of hardiment And eke thy selfe for want of manly hart And eke all knights hast shamed with this knightlesse part Yet further hast thou heaped shame to shame And crime to crime by this thy cowheard feare For first it was
shame in lieges blood to be embrew'd Thus whylest they were debating diuerslie The Saluage forth out of the wood issew'd Backe to the place whereas his Lord he sleeping vew'd There when he saw those two so neare him stand He doubted much what mote their meaning bee And throwing downe his load out of his hand To weet great store of forrest frute which hee Had for his food late gathered from the tree Himselfe vnto his weapon he betooke That was an oaken plant which lately hee Rent by the root which he so sternely shooke That like an hazell wand it quiuered and quooke Whereat the Prince awaking when he spyde The traytour Turpin with that other knight He started vp and snatching neare his syde His trustie sword the seruant of his might Like a fell Lyon leaped to him light And his left hand vpon his collar layd Therewith the cowheard deaded with affright Fell flat to ground ne word vnto him sayd But holding vp his hands with silence mercie prayd But he so full of indignation was That to his prayer nought he would incline But as he lay vpon the humbled gras His foot he set on his vile necke in signe Of seruile yoke that nobler harts repine Then letting him arise like abiect thrall He gan to him obiect his haynous crime And to reuile and rate and recreant call And lastly to despoyle of knightly banner all And after all for greater infamie He by the heeles him hung vpon a tree And baffuld so that all which passed by The picture of his punishment might see And by the like ensample warned bee How euer they through treason doe trespasse But turne we now backe to that Ladie free Whom late we left ryding vpon an Asse Led by a Carle and foole which by her side did passe She was a Ladie of great dignitie And lifted vp to honorable place Famous through all the land of Faerie Though of meane parentage and kindred base Yet deckt with wondrous giftes of natures grace That all men did her person much admire And praise the feature of her goodly face The beames whereof did kindle louely fire In th'harts of many a knight and many a gentle squire But she thereof grew proud and insolent That none she worthie thought to be her fere But scornd them all that loue vnto her ment Yet was she lou'd of many a worthy pere Vnworthy she to be belou'd so dere That could not weigh of worthinesse aright For beautie is more glorious bright and clere The more it is admir'd of many a wight And noblest she that serued is of noblest knight But this coy Damzell thought contrariwize That such proud looks would make her praysed more And that the more she did all loue despize The more would wretched louers her adore What cared she who sighed for her sore Or who did wayle or watch the wearie night Let them that list their lucklesse lot deplore She was borne free not bound to any wight And so would euer liue and loue her owne delight Through such her stubborne stifnesse and hard hart Many a wretch for want of remedie Did languish long in life consuming smart And at the last through dreary dolour die Whylest she the Ladie of her libertie Did boast her beautie had such soueraine might That with the onely twinckle of her eye She could or saue or spill whom she would hight What could the Gods doe more but doe it more aright But loe the Gods that mortall follies vew Did worthily reuenge this maydens pride And nought regarding her so goodly hew Did laugh at her that many did deride Whilest she did weepe of no man mercifide For on a day when Cupid kept his court As he is wont at each Saint Valentide Vnto the which all louers doe resort That of their loues successe they there may make report It fortun'd then that when the roules were red In which the names of all loues folke were fyled That many there were missing which were ded Or kept in bands or from their loues exyled Or by some other violence despoyled Which when as Cupid heard he wexed wroth And doubting to be wronged or beguyled He bad his eyes to be vnblindfold both That he might see his men and muster them by oth Then found he many missing of his crew Which wont doe suit and seruice to his might Of whom what was becomen no man knew Therefore a Iurie was impaneld streight T' enquire of them whether by force or sleight Or their owne guilt they were away conuayd To whom foule Infamie and fell Despight Gaue euidence that they were all betrayd And murdred cruelly by a rebellious Mayd Fayre Mirabella was her name whereby Of all those crymes she there indited was All which when Cupid heard he by and by In great displeasure wild a Capias Should issue forth t'attach that scornefull lasse The warrant straight was made and therewithall A Baylieffe errant forth in post did passe Whom they by name there Portamore did call He which doth summon louers to loues iudgement hall The damzell was attacht and shortly brought Vnto the barre whereas she was arrayned But she thereto nould plead nor answere ought Euen for stubborne pride which her restrayned So iudgement past as is by law ordayned In cases like which when at last she saw Her stubborne hart which loue before disdayned Gan stoupe and falling downe with humble awe Cryde mercie to abate the extremitie of law The sonne of Venus who is myld by kynd But where he is prouokt with peeuishnesse Vnto her prayers piteously enclynd And did the rigour of his doome represse Yet not so freely but that nathelesse He vnto her a penance did impose Which was that through this worlds wyde wildernes She wander should in companie of those Till she had sau'd so many loues as she did lose So now she had bene wandring two whole yeares Throughout the world in this vncomely case Wasting her goodly hew in heauie teares And her good dayes in dolorous disgrace Yet had she not in all these two yeares space Saued but two yet in two yeares before Throgh her dispiteous pride whilest loue lackt place She had destroyed two and twenty more Aie me how could her loue make half amends therefore And now she was vppon the weary way When as the gentle Squire with faire Serene Met her in such misseeming foule array The whiles that mighty man did her demeane With all the euill termes and cruell meane That he could make And eeke that angry foole Which follow'd her with cursed hands vncleane Whipping her horse did with his smarting toole Oft whip her dainty selfe and much augment her doole Ne ought it mote auaile her to entreat The one or th' other better her to vse For both so wilfull were and obstinate That all her piteous plaint they did refuse And rather did the more her beate and bruse But most the former villaine which did lead Her tyreling iade was bent her to abuse
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
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