rayling and foule reuilement But still prouokt her sonne to wreake her wrong But nathelesse he did her still torment And catching hold of her vngratious tong Thereon an yron lock did fasten firme and strong Then when as vse of speach was from her reft With her two crooked handes she signes did make And beckned him the last helpe she had left But he that last left helpe away did take And both her hands fast bound vnto a stake That she note stirre Then gan her sonne to flie Full fast away and did her quite forsake But Guyon after him in haste did hie And soone him ouertooke in sad perplexitie In his strong armes he stiffely him embraste Who him gainstriuing nought at all preuaild For all his power was vtterly defaste And furious fits at earst quite weren quaild Oft he re'nforst and oft his forces fayld Yet yield he would not nor his rancour slacke Then him to ground he cast and rudely hayld And both his hands fast bound behind his backe And both his feet in fetters to an yron racke With hundred yron chaines he did him bind And hundred knots that did him sore constraine Yet his great yron teeth he still did grind And grimly gnash threatning reuenge in vaine His burning eyen whom bloudie strakes did staine Stared full wide and threw forth sparkes of fire And more for ranck despight then for great paine Shakt his long lockes colourd like copper-wire And bit his tawny beard to shew his raging ire Thus when as Guyon Furor had captiu'd Turning about he saw that wretched Squire Whom that mad man of life nigh late depriu'd Lying on ground all soild with bloud and mire Whom when as he perceiued to respire He gan to comfort and his wounds to dresse Being at last recured he gan inquire What hard mishap him brought to such distresse And made that caitiues thral the thral of wretchednesse With hart then throbbing and with watry eyes Faire Sir quoth he what man can shun the hap That hidden lyes vnwares him to surpryse Misfortune waites aduantage to entrap The man most warie in her whelming lap So me weake wretch of many weakest one Vnweeting and vnware of such mishap She brought to mischiefe through occasion Where this same wicked villein did me light vpon It was a faithlesse Squire that was the sourse Of all my sorrow and of these sad teares With whom from tender dug of commune nourse Attonce I was vpbrought and eft when yeares More rype vs reason lent to chose our Peares Our selues in league of vowed loue we knit In which we long time without gealous feares Or faultie thoughts continewd as was fit And for my part I vow dissembled not a whit Is was my fortune commune to that age To loue a Ladie faire of great degree The which was borne of noble parentage And set in highest seat of dignitee Yet seemd no lesse to loue then loued to bee Long I her seru'd and found her faithfull still Ne euer thing could cause vs disagree Loue that two harts makes one makes eke one will Each stroue to please and others pleasure to fulfill My friend hight Philemon I did partake Of all my loue and all my priuitie Who greatly ioyous seemed for my sake And gratious to that Ladie as to mee Ne euer wight that mote so welcome bee As he to her withouten blot or blame Ne euer thing that she could thinke or see But vnto him she would impart the same O wretched man that would abuse so gentle Dame At last such grace I found and meanes I wrought That I that Ladie to my spouse had wonne Accord of friends consent of parents sought Affiance made my happinesse begonne There wanted nought but few rites to be donne Which mariage make that day too farre did seeme Most ioyous man on whom the shining Sunne Did shew his face my selfe I did esteeme And that my falser friend did no lesse ioyous deeme But ere that wished day his beame disclosd He either enuying my toward good Or of himselfe to treason ill disposd One day vnto me came in friendly mood And told for secret how he vnderstood That Ladie whom I had to me assynd Had both distaind her honorable blood And eke the faith which she to me did bynd And therfore wisht me stay till I more truth should fynd The gnawing anguish and sharpe gelosy Which his sad speech infixed in my brest Ranckled so sore and festred inwardly That my engreeued mind could find no rest Till that the truth thereof I did outwrest And him besought by that same sacred band Betwixt vs both to counsell me the best He then with solemne oath and plighted hand Assur'd ere long the truth to let me vnderstand Ere long with like againe he boorded mee Saying he now had boulted all the floure And that it was a groome of base degree Which of my loue was partner Paramoure Who vsed in a darkesome inner bowre Her oft to meet which better to approue He promised to bring me at that howre When I should see that would me nearer moue And driue me to withdraw my blind abused loue This gracelesse man for furtherance of his guile Did court the handmayd of my Lady deare Who glad t'embosome his affection vile Did all she might more pleasing to appeare One day to worke her to his will more neare He woo'd her thus Pryene so she hight What great despight doth fortune to thee beare Thus lowly to abase thy beautie bright That it should not deface all others lesser light But if she had her least helpe to thee lent T' adorne thy forme according thy desart Their blazing pride thou wouldest soone haue blent And staynd their prayses with thy least good part Ne should faire Claribell with all her art Though she thy Lady be approch thee neare For proofe thereof this euening as thou art Aray thy selfe in her most gorgeous geare That I may more delight in thy embracement deare The Maidē proud through prayse and mad through loue Him hearkned to and soone her selfe arayd The whiles to me the treachour did remoue His craftie engin and as he had sayd Me leading in a secret corner layd The sad spectatour of my Tragedie Where left he went and his owne false part playd Disguised like that groome of base degree Whom he had feignd th' abuser of my loue to bee Eftsoones he came vnto th' appointed place And with him brought Priene rich arayd In Claribellaes clothes Her proper face I not descerned in that darkesome shade But weend it was my loue with whom he playd Ah God what horrour and tormenting griefe My hart my hands mine eyes and all assayd Me liefer were ten thousand deathes priefe Then wound of gealous worme and shame of such repriefe I home returning fraught with fowle despight And chawing vengeance all the way I went Soone as my loathed loue appeard in sight With wrathfull hand I slew her innocent That after soone I dearely did lament For
all his head vnto the bone Wherewith astonisht still he stood as senselesse stone Still as he stood faire Phaedria that beheld That deadly daunger soone atweene them ran And at their feet her selfe most humbly feld Crying with pitteous voice and count'nance wan Ah well away most noble Lords how can Your cruell eyes endure so pitteous sight To shed your liues on ground wo worth the man That first did teach the oursed steele to bight In his owne flesh and make way to the liuing spright If euer loue of Ladie did empierce Your yron brestes or pittie could find place Withhold your bloudie hands from battell fierce And sith for me ye fight to me this grace Both yeeld to stay your deadly strife a space They stayd a while and forth she gan proceed Most wretched woman and of wicked race That am the author of this hainous deed And cause of death betweene two doughtie knights doe breed But if for me ye fight or me will serue Not this rude kind of battell nor these armes Are meet the which doe men in bale to sterue And dolefull sorrow heape with deadly harmes Such cruell game my scarmoges disarmes Another warre and other weapons I Doe loue where loue does giue his sweet alarmes Without bloudshed and where the enemy Does yeeld vnto his foe a pleasant victory Debatefull strife and cruell enmitie The famous name of knighthood fowly shent But louely peace and gentle amitie And in Amours the passing houres to spend The mightie martiall hands doe most commend Of loue they euer greater glory bore Then of their armes Mars is Cupidoes frend And is for Venus loues renowmed more Then all his wars and spoiles the which he did of yore Therewith she sweetly smyld They though full bent To proue extremities of bloudie fight Yet at her speach their rages gan relent And calme the sea of their tempestuous spight Such powre haue pleasing words such is the might Of courteous clemencie in gentle hart Now after all was ceast the Faery knight Besought that Damzell suffer him depart And yield him readie passage to that other part She no lesse glad then he desirous was Of his departure thence for of her ioy And vaine delight she saw he light did pas A foe of folly and immodest toy Still solemne sad or still disdainfull coy Delighting all in armes and cruell warre That her sweet peace and pleasures did annoy Troubled with terrour and vnquiet iarre That she well pleased was thence to amoue him farre Tho him she brought abord and her swift bote Forthwith directed to that further strand The which on the dull waues did lightly flote And soone arriued on the shallow sand Where gladsome Guyon salied forth to land And to that Damzell thankes gaue for reward Vpon that shore he spied Atin stand Thereby his maister left when late he far'd In Phadrias flit barke ouer that perlous shard Well could he him remember sith of late He with Pyrrhochles sharp debatement made Streight gan he him reuile and bitter rate As shepheards curre that in darke euenings shade Hath tracted forth some saluage beastes trade Vile Miscreant said he whither doest thou flie The shame and death which will thee soone inuade What coward hand shall doe thee next to die That art thus foully fled from famous enemie With that he stiffely shooke his steelehead dart But sober Guyon hearing him so raile Though somewhat moued in his mightie hart Yet with strong reason maistred passion fraile And passed fairely forth He turning taile Backe to the strond retyrd and there still stayd Awaiting passage which him late did faile The whiles Cymochles with that wanton mayd The hastie heat of his auowd reuenge delayd Whylest there the varlet stood he saw from farre An armed knight that towards him fast ran He ran on foot as if in lucklesse warre His forlorne steed from him the victourwan He seemed breathlesse hartlesse faint and wan And all his armour sprinckled was with bloud And soyld with durtie gore that no man can Discerne the hew thereof He neuer stood But bent his hastie course towards the idle flood The varlet saw when to the flood he came How without stop or stay he fiercely lept And deepe him selfe beduked in the same That in the lake his loftie crest was steept Ne of his safetie seemed care he kept But with his raging armes he rudely flasht The waues about and all his armour swept That all the bloud and filth away was washt Yet still he bet the water and the billowes dasht Atin drew nigh to weet what it mote bee For much he wondred at that vncouth sight Whom should he but his owne deare Lord there see His owne deare Lord Pyrrhochles in sad plight Readie to drowne himselfe for fell despight Harrow now out and well away he cryde What dismall day hath lent this cursed light To see my Lord so deadly damnifyde Pyrrhochles ô Pyrrhochles what is thee betyde I burne I burne I burne then loud he cryde O how I burne with implacable fire Yet nought can quench mine inly flaming syde Nor sea of licour cold nor lake of mire Nothing but death can doe me to respire Ah be it said he from Pyrrhochles farre After pursewing death once to require Or think that ought those puissant hands may marre Death is for wretches borne vnder vnhappie starre Perdie then is it fit for me said he That am I weene most wretched man aliue But in flames yet no flames can I see And dying daily daily yet reuiue O Atin helpe to me last death to giue The varlet at his plaint was grieued so sore That his deepe wounded hart in two did riue And his owne health remembring now no more Did follow that ensample which he blam'd afore Into the lake he lept his Lord to ayd So Loue the dread of daunger doth despise And of him catching hold him strongly stayd From drowning But more happie he then wise Of that seas nature did him not auise The waues thereof so slow and sluggish were Engrost with mud which did them foule agrise That euery weightie thing they did vpbeare Ne ought mote euer sinke downe to the bottome there Whiles thus they strugled in that idle waue And stroue in vaine the one himselfe to drowne The other both from drowning for to saue Lo to that shore one in an auncient gowne Whose hoarie locks great grauitie did crowne Holding in hand a goodly arming sword By fortune came led with the troublous sowne Where drenched deepe he found in that dull ford The carefull seruant striuing with his raging Lord. Him Atin spying knew right well of yore And loudly cald Helpe helpe ô Archimage To saue my Lord in wretched plight forlore Helpe with thy hand or with thy counsell sage Weake hands but counsell is most strong in age Him when the old man saw he wondred sore To see Pyrrhochles there so rudely rage Yet sithens helpe he saw he needed more Then pittie he in hast
dearling base To whom the keyes of euery prison dore By her committed be of speciall grace And at his will may whom he list restore And whom he list reserue to be afflicted more Whereof when tydings came vnto mine eare Full inly sorie for the feruent zeale Which I to him as to my soule did beare I thether went where I did long conceale My selfe till that the Dwarfe did me reueale And told his Dame her Squire of low degree Did secretly out of her prison steale For me he did mistake that Squire to bee For neuer two so like did liuing creature see Then was I taken and before her brought Who through the likenesse of my outward hew Being likewise beguiled in her thought Gan blame me much for being so vntrew To seeke by flight her fellowship t' eschew That lou'd me deare as dearest thing aliue Thence she commaunded me to prison new Whereof I glad did not gainesay nor striue But suffred that same Dwarfe me to her dongeon driue There did I finde mine onely faithfull frend In heauy plight and sad perplexitie Whereof I sorie yet my selfe did bend Him to recomfort with my companie But him the more agreeu'd I found thereby For all his ioy he said in that distresse Was mine and his Aemylias libertie Aemylia well he lou'd as I mote ghesse Yet greater loue to me then her he did professe But I with better reason him auiz'd And shew'd him how through error and mis-thought Of our like persons eath to be disguiz'd Or his exchange or freedome might be wrought Whereto full loth was he ne would for ought Consent that I who stood all fearelesse free Should wilfully be into thraldome brought Till fortune did perforce it so decree Yet ouerrul'd at last he did to me agree The morrow next about the wonted howre The Dwarfe cald at the doore of Amyas To come forthwith vnto his Ladies bowre In steed of whom forth came I Placidas And vndiscerned forth with him did pas There with great ioyance and with gladsome glee Of faire Poeana I receiued was And oft imbrast as if that I were hee And with kind words accoyd vowing great loue to mee Which I that was not bent to former loue As was my friend that had her long refusd Did well accept as well it did behoue And to the present neede it wisely vsd My former hardnesse first I faire excusd And after promist large amends to make With such smooth termes her error I abusd To my friends good more then for mine owne sake For whose sole libertie I loue and life did stake Thenceforth I found more fauour at her hand That to her Dwarfe which had me in his charge She bad to lighten my too heauie band And graunt more scope to me to walke at large So on a day as by the flowrie marge Of a fresh streame I with that Elfe did play Finding no meanes how I might vs enlarge But if that Dwarfe I could with me conuay I lightly snatcht him vp and with me bore away Thereat he shriekt aloud that with his cry The Tyrant selfe came forth with yelling bray And me pursew'd but nathemore would I Forgoe the purchase of my gotten pray But haue perforce him hether brought away Thus as they talked loe where nigh at hand Those Ladies two yet doubtfull through dismay In presence came desirous t' vnderstand Tydings of all which there had hapned on the land Where soone as sad Aemylia did espie Her captiue louers friend young Placidas All mindlesse of her wonted modestie She to him ran and him with streight embras Enfolding said and liues yet Amyas He liues quoth he and his Aemylia loues Then lesse said she by all the woe I pas With which my weaker patience fortune proues But what mishap thus long him fro my selfe remoues Then gan he all this storie to renew And tell the course of his captiuitie That her deare hart full deepely made to rew And sigh full sore to heare the miserie In which so long he mercilesse did lie Then after many teares and sorrowes spent She deare besought the Prince of remedie Who thereto did with readie will consent And well perform'd as shall appeare by his euent Cant. IX The Squire of low degree releast Poeana takes to wife Britomart fightes with many Knights Prince Arthur stints their strife HArd is the doubt and difficult to deeme When all three kinds of loue together meet And doe dispart the hart with powre extreme Whether shall weigh the balance downe to weet The deare affection vnto kindred sweet Or raging fire of loue to woman kind Or zeale of friends combynd with vertues meet But of them all the band of vertues mind Me seemes the gentle hart should most assured bind For naturall affection soone doth cesse And quenched is with Cupids greater flame But faithfull friendship doth them both suppresse And them with maystring discipline doth tame Through thoughts aspyring to eternall fame For as the soule doth rule the earthly masse And all the seruice of the bodie frame So loue of soule doth loue of bodie passe No lesse then perfect gold surmounts the meanest brasse All which who list by tryall to assay Shall in this storie find approued plaine In which these Squires true friendship more did sway Then either care of parents could refraine Or loue of fairest Ladie could constraine For though Poeana were as faire as morne Yet did this Trustie squire with proud disdaine For his friends sake her offred fauours scorne And she her selfe her syre of whom she was yborne Now after that Prince Arthur graunted had To yeeld strong succour to that gentle swayne Who now long time had lyen in prison sad He gan aduise how best he mote darrayne That enterprize for greatest glories gayne That headlesse tyrants tronke he reard from ground And hauing ympt the head to it agayne Vpon his vsuall beast it firmely bound And made it so to ride as it aliue was found Then did he take that chaced Squire and layd Before the ryder as he captiue were And made his Dwarfe though with vnwilling ayd To guide the beast that did his maister beare Till to his castle they approched neare Whom when the watch that kept continuall ward Saw comming home all voide of doubtfull feare He running downe the gate to him vnbard Whom straight the Prince ensuing in together far'd There he did find in her delitious boure The faire Poeana playing on a Rote Complayning of her cruell Paramoure And singing all her sorrow to the note As she had learned readily by rote That with the sweetnesse of her rare delight The Prince halfe rapt began on her to dote Till better him bethinking of the right He her vnwares attacht and captiue held by might Whence being forth produc'd when she perceiued Her owne deare sire she cald to him for aide But when of him no aunswere she receiued But saw him sencelesse by the Squire vpstaide She weened well that then she
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
sith they warlike armes haue layd away They haue exceld in artes and pollicy That now we foolish men that prayse gin eker'enuy Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent Be thou faire Britomart whose prayse I write But of all wisedome be thou precedent Endite I would as dewtie doth excite But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre When in so high an obiect they do lite And striuing fit to make I feare do marre Thy selfe thy prayses tell and make them knowen farre She trauelling with Guyon by the way Of sundry things faire purpose gan to find T'abridg their iourney long and lingring day Mongst which it fell into that Faeries mind To aske this Briton Mayd what vncouth wind Made her dissemble her disguised kind Faire Lady she him seemd like Lady drest But fairest knight aliue when armed washer brest Thereat she sighing softly had no powre To speake a while ne ready answere make But with hart-thrilling throbs and bitter stowre As if she had a feuer fit did quake And euery daintie limbe with horrour shake And euer and anone the rosy red Flasht through her face as it had beene a flake Oflightning through bright heauen fulmined At last the passion past she thus him answered Faire Sir I let you weete that from the howre I taken was from nourses tender pap I haue beene trained vp in warlike stowre To tossen speare and shield and to affrap The warlike ryder to his most mishap Sithence I loathed haue my life to lead As Ladies wont in pleasures wanton lap To finger the fine needle and nyce thread Me leuer were with point of foemans speare be dead All my delights deedes of armes is set To hunt out perils and aduentures hard By sea by land where so they may be met Onely for honour and for high regard Without respect of richesse or reward For such intent into these parts I came Withouten compasse or withouten card Far fro my natiue soyle that is by name The greater Britaine here to seeke for prayse and fame Fame blazed hath that here in Faery lond Do many famous Knightes and Ladies wonne And many straunge aduentures to be fond Of which great worth and worship may be wonne Which I to proue this voyage haue begonne But mote I weet of you right curteous knight Tydings of one that hath vnto me donne Late foule dishonour and reprochfull spight The which I seeke to wreake and Arthegall he hight The word gone out she backe againe would call As her repenting so to haue missayd But that he it vp-taking ere the fall Her shortly answered Faire martiall Mayd Certes ye misa uised beene t'vpbrayd A gentle knight with so vnknightly blame For weet ye well of all that euer playd At tilt or tourney or like warlike game The noble Arthegall hath euer borne the name For thy great wonder were it if such shame Should euer enter in his bounteous thought Or euer do that mote deseruen blame The noble courage neuer weeneth ought That may vnworthy of it selfe be thought Therefore faire Damzell be ye well aware Least that too farre ye haue your sorrow sought You and your countrey both I wish welfare And honour both for each of other worthy are The royall Mayd woxe inly wondrous glad To heare her Loue so highly magnifide And ioyd that euer she affixed had Her hart on knight so goodly glorifide How euer finely she it faind to hide The louing mother that nine monethes did beare In the deare closet of her paine full side Her tender babe it seeing safe appeare Doth not so much reioyce as she reioyced theare But to occasion him to further talke To feed her humour with his pleasing stile Her list in strifull termes with him to balke Aud thus replide How euer Sir ye file Your curteous tongue his prayses to compile It ill beseemes a knight of gentle sort Such as ye haue him boasted to beguile A simple mayd and worke so haynous tort In shame of knighthood as I largely can report Let be therefore my vengeaunce to disswade And read where I that faytour false may find Ah but if reason faire might you perswade To slake your wrath and mollifie your mind Said he perhaps ye should it better find For hardy thing it is to weene by might That man to hard conditions to bind Or euer hope to match in equall fight Whose prowesse paragon saw neuer liuing wight Ne soothlich is it easie for to read Where now on earth or how he may be found For he ne wonneth in one certaine stead But restlesse walketh all the world around Ay doing things that to his same redound Defending Ladies cause and Orphans right Where so he heares that any doth confound Them comfortlesse through tyranny or might So is his soueraine honour raisde to heavens hight His feeling words her feeble sence much pleased And softly sunck into her molten hart Hart that is inly hurt is greatly eased With hope of thing that may allegge his smart For pleasing words are like to Magick art That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay Such secret ease felt gentle Britomart Yet list the same efforce with faind gainesay So dischord oft in Musick makes the sweeter lay And said Sir knight these idle termes forbeare And sith it is vneath to find his haunt Tell me some markes by which he may appeare If chaunce I him encounter parauant For perdie one shall other slay or daunt What shape what shield what armes what steed what sted And what so else his person most may vaunt All which the Redcrosse knight to point ared And him in euery part before her fashioned Yet him in euery part before she knew How euer list her now her knowledge faine Sith him whilome in Britaine she did vew To her reuealed in a mirrhour plaine Whereof did grow her first engraffed paine Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did tast That but the fruit more sweetnesse did containe Her wretched dayes in dolour she mote wast And yield the pray of loue to lothsome death at last By strange occasion she did him behold And much more strangely gan to loue his sight As it in bookes hath written bene of old In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight What time king Ryence raign'd and dealed right The great Magitian Merlin had deuiz'd By his deepe science and hell-dreaded might A looking glasse right wondrously aguiz'd Whose vertues through the wyde world soone were solemniz'd It vertue had to shew in perfect sight What euer thing was in the world contaynd Betwixt the lowest earth and heauens hight So that it to the looker appertaynd What euer foe had wrought or frend had faynd Therein discouered was ne ought mote pas Ne ought in secret from the same remaynd For thy it round and hollow shaped was Like to the world it selfe and seem'd a world of glas Who wonders not that reades so wonderous worke But who does wonder that has red the Towre Wherein th' Aegyptian Phaeo long
hand was faine his steede to guyde And all the way from trotting hard to spare So was his toyle the more the more that was his care At length they spide where towards them with speed A Squire came gallopping as he would flie Bearing a litle Dwarfe before his steed That all the way full loud for aide did crie That seem'd his shrikes would rend the brasen skie Whom after did a mightie man pursew Ryding vpon a Dromedare on hie Of stature huge and horrible of hew That would haue maz'd a man his dreadfull face to vew For from his fearefull eyes two fierie beames More sharpe then points of needles did proceede Shooting forth farre away two flaming streames Full of sad powre that poysonous bale did breede To all that on him lookt without good heed And secretly his enemies did slay Like as the Basiliske of serpents seede From powrefull eyes close venim doth conuay Into the lookers hart and killeth farre away He all the way did rage at that same Squire And after him full many threatnings threw With curses vaine in his auengefull ire But none of them so fast away he flew Him ouertooke before he came in vew Where when he saw the Prince in armour bright He cald to him aloud his case to rew And rescue him through succour of his might From that his cruell foe that him pursewd in sight Eftsoones the Prince tooke downe those Ladies twaine From loftie steede and mounting in their stead Came to that Squire yet trembling euery vaine Of whom he gan enquire his cause of dread Who as he gan the same to him aread Loe hard behind his backe his foe was prest With dreadfull weapon aymed at his head That vnto death had doen him vnredrest Had not the noble Prince his readie stroke represt Who thrusting boldly twixt him and the blow The burden of the deadly brunt did beare Vpon his shield which lightly he did throw Ouer his head before the harme came neare Nathlesse it fell with so despiteous dreare And heauie sway that hard vnto his crowne The shield it droue and did the couering reare Therewith both Squire and dwarfe did tomble downe Vnto the earth and lay long while in senselesse swowne Whereat the Prince full wrath his strong right hand In full auengement heaued vp on hie And stroke the Pagan with his steely brand So sore that to his saddle bow thereby He bowed low and so a while did lie And sure had not his massie yron mace Betwixt him and his hurt bene happily It would haue cleft him to the girding place Yet as it was it did astonish him long space But when he to himselfe returnd againe All full of rage he gan to curse and sweare And vow by Mahoune that he should be slaine With that his murdrous mace he vp did reare That seemed nought the souse thereof could beare And therewith smote at him with all his might But ere that it to him approched neare The royall child with readie quicke foresight Did shun the proofe thereof and it auoyded light But ere his hand he could recure againe To ward his bodie from the balefull stound He smote at him with all his might and maine So furiously that ere he wist he found His head before him tombling on the ground The whiles his babling tongue did yet blaspheme And curse his God that did him so confound The whiles his life ran foorth in bloudie streame His soule descended downe into the Stygian reame Which when that Squire beheld he woxe full glad To see his foe breath out his spright in vaine But that same dwarfe right sorie seem'd and sad And howld aloud to see his Lord there slaine And rent his haire and scratcht his face for paine Then gan the Prince at leasure to inquire Of all the accident there hapned plaine And what he was whose eyes did flame with fire All which was thus to him declared by that Squire This mightie man quoth he whom you haue slaine Of an huge Geauntesse whylome was bred And by his strength rule to himselfe did gaine Of many Nations into thraldome led And mightie kingdomes of his force adred Whom yet he conquer'd not by bloudie fight Ne hostes of men with banners brode dispred But by the powre of his infectious sight With which he killed all that came within his might Ne was he euer vanquished afore But euer vanquisht all with whom he fought Ne was there man so strong but he downe bore Ne woman yet so faire but he her brought Vnto his bay and captiued her thought For most of strength and beautie his desire Was spoyle to make and wast them vnto nought By casting secret flakes of lustfull fire From his false eyes into their harts and parts entire Therefore Corflambo was he cald aright Though namelesse there his bodie now doth lie Yet hath he left one daughter that is hight The faire Poeana who seemes outwardly So faire as euer yet saw liuing eie And were her vertue like her beautie bright She were as faire as any vnder skie But ah she giuen is to vaine delight And eke too loose of life and eke of loue too light So as it fell there was a gentle Squire That lou'd a Ladie of high parentage But for his meane degree might not aspire To match so high her friends with counsell sage Dissuaded her from such a disparage But she whose hart to loue was wholly lent Out of his hands could not redeeme her gage But firmely following her first intent Resolu'd with him to wend gainst all her friends consent So twixt themselues they pointed time and place To which when he according did repaire An hard mishap and disauentrous case Him chaunst in stead of his Aemylia faire This Gyants sonne that lies there on the laire An headlesse heape him vnawares there caught And all dismayd through mercilesse despaire Him wretched thrall vnto his dongeon brought Where he remaines of all vnsuccour'd and vnsought This Gyants daughter came vpon a day Vnto the prison in her ioyous glee To view the thrals which there in bondage lay Amongst the rest she chaunced there to see This louely swaine the Squire of low degree To whom she did her liking lightly cast And wooed him her paramour to bee From day to day she woo'd and prayd him fast And for his loue him promist libertie at last He though affide vnto a former loue To whom his faith he firmely ment to hold Yet seeing not how thence he mote remoue But by that meanes which fortune did vnfold Her graunted loue but with affection cold To win her grace his libertie to get Yet she him still detaines in captiue hold Fearing least if she should him freely set He would her shortly leaue and former loue forget Yet so much fauour she to him hath hight Aboue the rest that he sometimes may space And walke about her gardens of delight Hauing a keeper still with him in place Which keeper is this Dwarfe her
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
could neuer win The Fort that Ladies hold in soueraigne dread There lies he now with foule dishonour dead Who whiles he liu'de was called proud Sans foy The eldest of three brethren all three bred Of one bad sire whose youngest is Sans ioy And twixt them both was borne the bloudy bold Sans loy In this sad plight friendlesse vnfortunate Now miserable I Fidessa dwell Crauing of you in pitty of my state To do none ill if please ye not do well He in great passion all this while did dwell More busying his quicke eyes her face to view Then his dull eares to heare what she did tell And said faire Lady hart of flint would rew The vndeserued woes and sorrowes which ye shew Henceforth in safe assuraunce may ye rest Hauing both found a new friend you to aid And lost an old foe that did you molest Better new friend then an old foe is said With chaunge of cheare the seeming simple maid Let fall her eyen as shamefast to the earth And yeelding soft in that she nought gain-said So forth they rode he feining seemely merth And she coy lookes so dainty they say maketh derth Longtime they thus together traueiled Till weary of their way they came at last Where grew two goodly trees that faire did spred Their armes abroad with gray mosse ouercast And their greene leaues trembling with euery blast Made a calme shadow far in compasse round The fearefull Shepheard often there aghast Vnder them neuer sat ne wont there sound His mery oaten pipe but shund th' vnlucky ground But this good knight soone as he them can spie For the coole shade thither hastly got For golden Phoebus now that mounted hie From fiery wheeles of his faire chariot Hurled his beame so scorching cruell hot That liuing creature mote it not abide And his new Lady it endured not There they alight in hope themselues to hide From the fierce heat and rest their weary limbs a tide Faire seemely pleasaunce each to other makes With goodly purposes there as they sit And in his falsed fancy he her takes To be the fairest wight that liued yit Which to expresse he bends his gentle wit And thinking of those braunches greene to frame A girlond for her dainty forehead fit He pluckt a bough out of whose rift there came Small drops of gory bloud that trickled downe the same Therewith a piteous yelling voyce was heard Crying O spare with guilty hands to teare My tender sides in this rough rynd embard But fly ah fly far hence away for feare Least to you hap that happened to me heare And to this wretched Lady my deare loue O too deare loue loue bought with death too deare Astond he stood and vp his haire did houe And with that suddein horror could no member moue At last whenas the dreadfull passion Was ouerpast and manhood well awake Yet musing at the straunge occasion And doubting much his sence he thus bespake What voyce of damned Ghost from Limbo lake Or guilefull spright wandring in empty aire Both which fraile men do oftentimes mistake Sends to my doubtfull eares these speaches rare And ruefull plaints me bidding guitlesse bloud to spare Then groning deepe Nor damned Ghost quoth he Nor guilefull sprite to thee these wordes doth speake But once a man Fradubio now a tree Wretched man wretched tree whose nature weake A cruell witch her cursed will to wreake Hath thus transformd and plast in open plaines Where Bore as doth blow full bitter bleake And scorching Sunne does dry my secret vaines For though a tree I seeme yet cold and heat me paines Say on Fradubio then or man or tree Quoth then the knight by whose mischieuous arts Art thou misshaped thus as now I see He oft finds med'cine who his griefe imparts But double griefs afflict concealing harts As raging flames who striueth to suppresse The author then said he of all my smarts Is one Duessa a false sorceresse That many errāt knights hath brought to wretchednesse In prime of youthly yeares when corage hot The fire of loue and ioy of cheualree First kindled in my brest it was my lot To loue this gentle Lady whom ye see Now not a Lady but a seeming tree With whom as once I rode accompanyde Me chaunced of a knight encountred bee That had a like faire Lady by his syde Like a faire Lady but did fowle Duessa hyde Whose forged beauty he did take in hand All other Dames to haue exceeded farre I in defence of mine did likewise stand Mine that did then shine as the Morning starre So both to battell fierce arraunged arre In which his harder fortune was to fall Vnder my speare such is the dye of warre His Lady left as a prise martiall Did yield her comely person to be at my call So doubly lou'd of Ladies vnlike faire Th' one seeming such the other such indeede One day in doubt I cast for to compare Whether in beauties glorie did exceede A Rosy girlond was the victors meede Both seemde to win and both seemde won to bee So hard the discord was to be agreede Fraelissa was as faire as faire mote bee And euer false Duessa seemde as faire as shee The wicked witch now seeing all this while The doubtfull ballaunce equally to sway What not by right she cast to win by guile And by her hellish science raisd streight way A foggy mist that ouercast the day And a dull blast that breathing on her face Dimmed her former beauties shining ray And with foule vgly forme did her disgrace Then was she faire alone when none was faire in place Then cride she out fye fye deformed wight Whose borrowed beautie now appeareth plaine To haue before bewitched all mens sight O leaue her soone or let her soone be slaine Her loathly visage viewing with disdaine Eftsoones I thought her such as she me told And would haue kild her but with faigned paine The false witch did my wrathfull hand with-hold So left her where she now is turnd to treen mould Then forth I tooke Duessa for my Dame And in the witch vnweening ioyd long time Ne euer wist but that she was the same Till on a day that day is euery Prime When Witches wont do penance for their crime I chaunst to see her in her proper hew Bathing her selfe in origane and thyme A filthy foule old woman I did vew That euer to haue toucht her I did deadly rew Her neather partes misshapen monstruous Were hidd in water that I could not see But they did seeme more foule and hideous Then womans shape man would beleeue to bee Then forth from her most beastly companie I gan refraine in minde to slip away Soone as appeard safe oportunitie For danger great if not assur'd decay I saw before mine eyes if I were knowne to stray The diuelish hag by chaunges of my cheare Perceiu'd my thought and drownd in sleepie night With wicked herbes and ointments did besmeare My bodie all through charmes and magicke
did delight A Satyres sonne yborne in forrest wyld By straunge aduenture as it did betyde And there begotten of a Lady myld Faire Thyamis the daughter of Labryde That was in sacred bands of wedlocke tyde To Therion a loose vnruly swayne Who had more ioy to raunge the forrest wyde And chase the saluage beast with busie payne Then serue his Ladies loue and wast in pleasures vayne The forlorne mayd did with loues longing burne And could not lacke her louers company But to the wood she goes to serue her turne And seeke her spouse that from her still does fly And followes other game and venery A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to find And kindling coles of lustin brutish eye The loyall links of wedlocke did vnbind And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind So long in secret cabin there he held Her captiue to his sensuall desire Till that with timely fruit her belly sweld And bore a boy vnto that saluage fire Then home he suffred her for to retire For ransome leauing him the late borne childe Whom till to ryper yeares he gan aspire He noursled vp in life and manners wilde Emongst wild beasts and woods from lawes of men exilde For all he taught the tender ymp was but To banish cowardize and bastard feare His trembling hand he would him force to put Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make To tame and ryde their backes not made to beare And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake That euery beast for feare of him did fly and quake Thereby so fearelesse and so fell he grew That his owne sire and maister of his guise Did often tremble at his horrid vew And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise The angry beasts not rashly to despise Nor too much to prouoke for he would learne The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wise A lesson hard and make the Libbard sterne Leaue roaring when in rage he for reuenge did earne And for to make his powre approued more Wyld beasts in yron yokes he would compell The spotted Panther and the tusked Bore The Pardale swift and the Tigre cruell The Antelope and Wolfe both fierce and fell And them constraine in equall teme to draw Such ioy he had their stubborne harts to quell And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw That his beheast they feared as tyrans law His louing mother came vpon a day Vnto the woods to see her little sonne And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way After his sportes and cruell pastime donne When after him a Lyonesse did runne That roaring all with rage did lowd requere Her children deare whom he away had wonne The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare And lull in rugged armes withouten childish feare The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight And turning backe gan fast to fly away Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright She hardly yet perswaded was to stay And then to him these womanish words gan say Ah Satyrane my dearling and my ioy For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play To dally thus with death is no fit toy Go find some other play-fellowes mine own sweet boy In these and like delights of bloudy game He trayned was till ryper yeares he raught And there abode whilst any beast of name Walkt in that forest whom he had not taught To feare his force and then his courage haught Desird of forreine foemen to be knowne And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne But through all Faery lond his famous worth was blown Yet euermore it was his manner faire After long labours and aduentures spent Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire To see his fire and ofspring auncient And now he thither came for like intent Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found Straunge Lady in so straunge habiliment Teaching the Satyres which her sat around Trew sacred lore which from her sweet lips did redound He wondred at her wisedome heauenly rare Whose like in womens wit he neuer knew And when her curteous deeds he did compare Gan her admire and her sad sorrowes rew Blaming of Fortune which such troubles threw And ioyd to make proofe of her crueltie On gentle Dame so hurtlesse and so trew Thenceforth he kept her goodly company And learnd her discipline of faith and veritie But she all vowd vnto the Redcrosse knight His wandring perill closely did lament Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight But her deare heart with anguish did torment And all her wit in secret counsels spent How to escape At last in priuie wise To Satyrane she shewed her intent Who glad to gain such fauour gan deuise How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise So on a day when Satyres all were gone To do their seruice to Syluanus old The gentle virgin left behind alone He led away with courage stout and bold Too late it was to Satyres to be told Or euer hope recouer her againe In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold So fast he carried her with carefull paine That they the woods are past come now to the plaine The better part now of the lingring day They traueild had when as they farre espide A wearie wight forwandring by the way And towards him they gan in hast to ride To weet of newes that did abroad betide Or tydings of her knight of the Redcrosse But he them spying gan to turne aside For feare as seemd or for some feigned losse More greedy they of newes fast towards him do crosse A silly man in simple weedes forworne And soild with dust of the long dried way His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne And face all tand with scorching sunny ray As he had traueild many a sommers day Through boyling sands of Arabie and Ynde And in his hand a Iacobs staffe to stay His wearie limbes vpon and eke behind His scrip did hang in which his needments he did bind The knight approching nigh of him inquerd Tydings of warre and of aduentures new But warres nor new aduentures none he herd Then Vna gan to aske if ought he knew Or heard abroad of that her champion trew That in his armour bare a croslet red Aye me Deare dame quoth he well may I rew To tell the sad sight which mine eies haue red These eyes did see that knight both liuing and eke ded That cruell word her tender hart so thrild That suddein cold did runne through euery vaine And stony horrour all her sences fild With dying fit that downe she fell for paine The knight her lightly reared vp againe And comforted with curteous kind reliefe Then wonne from death she bad him tellen plaine The further processe of her hidden griefe The lesser pangs can beare who hath endur'd the chiefe Then gan the Pilgrim thus I chaunst this day This fatall day that shall I euer rew
when iust time expired should appeare But whether dreames delude or true it were Was neuer hart so rauisht with delight Ne liuing man like words did euer heare As she to me deliuered all that night And at her parting said She Queene of Faeries hight When I awoke and found her place deuoyd And nought but pressed gras where she had lyen I sorrowed all so much as earst I ioyd And washed all her place with watry eyen From that day forth I lou'd that face diuine From that day forth I cast in carefull mind To seeke her out with labour and long tyne And neuer vow to rest till her I find Nine monethes I seeke in vaine yet ni'll that vow vnbind Thus as he spake his visage wexed pale And chaunge of hew great passion did bewray Yet still he stroue to cloke his inward bale And hide the smoke that did his fire display Till gentle Vna thus to him gan say O happy Queene of Faeries that hast found Mongst many one that with his prowesse may Defend thine honour and thy foes confound True Loues are oftē sown but seldom grow on ground Thine O then said the gentle Redcrosse knight Next to that Ladies loue shal be the place O fairest virgin full of heauenly light Whose wondrous faith exceeding earthly race Was firmest fixt in mine extremest case And you my Lord the Patrone of my life Of that great Queene may well gaine worthy grace For onely worthy you through prowes priefe Yf liuing man mote worthy be to be her liefe So diuersly discoursing of their loues The golden Sunne his glistring head gan shew And sad remembraunce now the Prince amoues With fresh desire his voyage to pursew Al 's Vna earnd her traueill to renew Then those two knights fast friendship for to bynd And loue establish each to other trew Gaue goodly gifts the signes of gratefull mynd And eke the pledges firme right hands together ioynd Prince Arthur gaue a boxe of Diamond sure Embowd with gold and gorgeous ornament Wherein were closd few drops of liquor pure Of wondrous worth and vertue excellent That any wound could heale incontinent Which to requite the Redcrosse knight him gaue A booke wherein his Saueours testament Was writ with golden letters rich and braue A worke of wondrous grace and able soules to saue Thus beene they parted Arthur on his way To seeke his loue and th' other for to fight With Vnaes foe that all her realme did pray But she now weighing the decayed plight And shrunken synewes of her chosen knight Would not a while her forward course pursew Ne bring him forth in face of dreadfull fight Till he recouered had his former hew For him to be yet weake and wearie well she knew So as they traueild lo they gan espy An armed knight towards them gallop fast That seemed from some feared foe to fly Or other griesly thing that him agast Still as he fled his eye was backward cast As if his feare still followed him behind Al 's flew his steed as he his bands had brast And with his winged heeles did tread the wind As he had beene a fole of Pegasus his kind Nigh as he drew they might perceiue his head To be vnarmd and curld vncombed heares Vpstaring stiffe dismayd with vncouth dread Nor drop of bloud in all his face appeares Nor life in limbe and to increase his feares In fowle reproch of knighthoods faire degree About his neck an hempen rope he weares That with his glistring armes does ill agree But he of rope or armes has now no memoree The Redcrosse knight toward him crossed fast To weet what mister wight was so dismayd There him he finds all sencelesse and aghast That of him selfe he seemd to be afrayd Whom hardly he from flying forward stayd Till he these wordes to him deliuer might Sir knight aread who hath ye thus arayd And eke from whom make ye this hasty flight For neuer knight I saw in such misseeming plight He answerd nought at all but adding new Feare to his first amazment staring wide With stony eyes and hartlesse hollow hew Astonisht stood as one that had aspide Infernall furies with their chaines vntide Him yet againe and yet againe bespake The gentle knight who nought to him replide But trembling euery ioynt did inly quake And foltring tongue at last these words seemd forth to shake For Gods deare loue Sir knight do me not stay For loe he comes he comes fast after mee Eft looking backe would faine haue runne away But he him forst to stay and tellen free The secret cause of his perplexitie Yet nathemore by his bold hartie speach Could his bloud-frosen hart emboldned bee But through his boldnesse rather feare did reach Yet forst at last he made through silence suddein breach And am I now in safetie sure quoth he From him that would haue forced me to dye And is the point of death now turnd fro mee That I may tell this haplesse history Feare nought quoth he no daunger now is nye Then shall I you recount a ruefull cace Said he the which with this vnlucky eye I late beheld and had not greater grace Me reft from it had bene partaker of the place I lately chaunst Would I had neuer chaunst With a faire knight to keepen companee Sir Terwin hight that well himselfe aduaunst In all affaires and was both bold and free But not so happie as mote happie bee He lou'd as was his lot a Ladie gent That him againe lou'd in the least degree For she was proud and of too high intent And ioyd to see her louer languish and lament From whom returning sad and comfortlesse As on the way together we did fare We met that villen God from him me blesse That cursed wight from whom I scapt whyleare A man of hell that cals himselfe Despaire Who first vs greets and after faire areedes Of tydings strange and of aduentures rare So creeping close as Snake in hidden weedes Inquireth of our states and of our knightly deedes Which when he knew and felt our feeble harts Embost with bale and bitter byting griefe Which loue had launched with his deadly darts With wounding words and termes of foule repriefe He pluckt from vs all hope of due reliefe That earst vs held in loue of lingring life Then hopelesse hartlesse gan the cunning thiefe Perswade vs die to stint all further strife To me he lent this rope to him a rustie knife With which sad instrument of hastie death That wofull louer loathing lenger light A wide way made to let forth liuing breath But I more fearefull or more luckie wight Dismayd with that deformed dismall sight Fled fast away halfe dead with dying feare Ne yet assur'd of life by you Sir knight Whose like infirmitie like chaunce may beare But God you neuer let his charmed speeches heare How may a man said he with idle speach Be wonne to spoyle the Castle of his health I wote quoth he whom
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
Gan smyle on them that rather ought to weepe As carelesse of his woe or innocent Of that was doen that ruth emperced deepe In that knights heart and wordes with bitter teares did steepe Ah lucklesse babe borne vnder cruell starre And in dead parents balefull ashes bred Full litle weenest thou what sorrowes are Left thee for portion of thy liuelihed Poore Orphane in the wide world scattered As budding braunch rent from the natiue tree And throwen forth till it be withered Such is the state of men thus enter wee Into this life with woe and end with miseree Then soft himselfe inclyning on his knee Downe to that well did in the water weene So loue does loath disdainfull nicitee His guiltie hands from bloudie gore to cleene He washt them oft and oft yet nought they beene For all his washing cleaner Still he stroue Yet still the litle hands were bloudie seene The which him into great amaz'ment droue And into diuerse doubt his wauering wonder cloue He wist not whether blot of foule offence Might not be purgd with water nor with bath Or that high God in lieu of innocence Imprinted had that token of his wrath To shew how sore bloudguiltinesse he hat'th Or that the charme and venim which they druncke Their bloud with secret filth infected hath Being diffused through the senselesse truncke That through the great contagion direfull deadly stunck Whom thus at gaze the Palmer gan to bord With goodly reason and thus faire bespake Ye bene right hard amated gratious Lord And of your ignorance great maruell make Whiles cause not well conceiued ye mistake But know that secret vertues are infusd In euery fountaine and in euery lake Which who hath skill them rightly to haue chusd To proofe of passing wonders hath full often vsd Of those some were so from their sourse indewd By great Dame Nature from whose fruitfull pap Their welheads spring and are with moisture deawd Which feedes each liuing plant with liquid sap And filles with flowres faire Floraes painted lap But other some by gift of later grace Or by good prayers or by other hap Had vertue pourd into their waters bace And thenceforth were renowmd sought from place to place Such is this well wrought by occasion straunge Which to her Nymph befell Vpon a day As she the woods with bow and shafts did raunge The hartlesse Hind and Robucke to dismay Dan Faunus chaunst to meet her by the way And kindling fire at her faire burning eye Inflamed was to follow beauties chace And chaced her that fast from him did fly As Hind from her so she fled from her enimy At last when fayling breath began to faint And saw no meanes to scape of shame affrayd She set her downe to weepe for sore constraint And to Diana calling lowd for ayde Her deare besought to let her dye a mayd The goddesse heard and suddeine where she sate Welling out streames of teares and quite dismayd With stony feare of that rude rustick mate Transformd her to a stone from stedfast virgins state Lo now she is that stone from those two heads As from two weeping eyes fresh streames do flow Yet cold through feare and old conceiued dreads And yet the stone her semblance seâ—mes to show Shapt like a maid that such ye may her know And yet her vertues in her water byde For it is chast and pure as purest snow Ne lets her waues with any filth he dyde But euer like her selfe vnstained hath beene tryde From thence it comes that this babes bloudy hand May not be clensd with water of this well Ne certes Sir striue you it to withstand But let them still be bloudy as befell That they his mothers innocence may tell As she bequeathd in her last testament That as a sacred Symbole it may dwell In her sonnes flesh to minde reuengement And be for all chast Dames an endlesse moniment He hearkned to his reason and the childe Vptaking to the Palmer gaue to beare But his sad fathers armes with blond defilde An heauie load himselfe did lightly reare And turning to that place in which whyleare He left his loftie steed with golden sell And goodly gorgeous barbes him found not theare By other accident that earst befell He is conuaide but how or where here fits not tell Which when Sir Guyon saw all were he wroth Yet algates mote he soft himselfe appease And fairely fare on foot how euer loth His double burden did him sore disease So long they traueiled with litle ease Till that at last they to a Castle came Built on a rocke adioyning to the seas It was an auncient worke of antique fame And wondrous strong by nature and by skilfull frame Therein three sisters dwelt of sundry sort The children of one sire by mothers three Who dying whylome did diuide this fort To them by equall shares in equall fee But strifull minde and diuerse qualitee Drew them in parts and each made others foe Still did they striue and dayly disagree The eldest did against the youngest goe And both against the middest meant to worken woe Where when the knight arriu'd he was right well Receiu'd as knight of so much worth became Of second sister who did far excell The other two Medina was her name A sober sad and comely curteous Dame Who rich arayd and yet in modest guize In goodly garments that her well became Faire marching forth in honorable wize Him at the threshold met and well did enterprize She led him vp into a goodly bowre And comely courted with meet modestie Ne in her speach ne in her hauiour Was lightnesse seene or looser vanitie But gratious womanhood and grauitie Aboue the reason of her youthly yeares Her golden lockes she roundly did vptye In breaded tramels that no looser heares Did out of order stray about her daintie eares Whilest she her selfe thus busily did frame Seemely to entertaine her new-come guest Newes hereof to her other sisters came Who all this while were at their wanton rest Accourting each her friend with lauish fest They were two knights of perelesse puissance And famous far abroad for warlike gest Which to these Ladies loue did countenaunce And to his mistresse each himselfe stroue to aduaunce He that made loue vnto the eldest Dame Was hight Sir Huddibras an hardy man Yet not so good of deedes as great of name Which he by many rash aduentures wan Since errant armes to sew he first began More huge in strength then wise in workes he was And reason with foole-hardize ouer ran Sterne melancholy did his courage pas And was for terrour more all armd in shyning bras But he that lou'd the youngest was Sans-loy He that faire Vna late fowle outraged The most vnruly and the boldest boy That euer warlike weapons menaged And to all lawlesse lust encouraged Through strong opinion of his matchlesse might Ne ought he car'd whom he endamaged By tortious wrong or whom bereau'd of right He now this Ladies champion
when the cause of that outrageous deede Demaunded I made plaine and euident Her faultie Handmayd which that bale did breede Confest how Philemon her wrought to chaunge her weede Which when I heard with horrible affright And hellish fury all enragd I sought Vpon my selfe that vengeable despight To punish yet it better first I thought To wreake my wrath on him that first it wrought To Philemon false faytour Philemon I cast to pay that I so dearely bought Of deadly drugs I gaue him drinke anon And washt away his guilt with guiltie potion Thus heaping crime on crime and griefe on griefe To losse of loue adioyning losse of frend I meant to purge both with a third mischiefe And in my woes beginner it to end That was Pryene she did first offend She last should smart with which cruell intent When I at her my murdrous blade did bend She fled away with ghastly dreriment And I pursewing my fell purpose after went Feare gaue her wings and rage enforst my flight Through woods and plaines so long I did her chace Till this mad man whom your victorious might Hath now fast bound me met in middle space As I her so he me pursewd apace And shortly ouertooke I breathing yre Sore chauffed at my stay in such a cace And with my heat kindled his cruell fyre Which kindled once his mother did more rage inspyre Betwixt them both they haue me doen to dye Through wounds strokes stubborne handeling That death were better then such agony As griefe and furie vnto me did bring Of which in me yet stickes the mortall sting That during life will neuer be appeasd When he thus ended had his sorrowing Said Guyon Squire sore haue ye beene diseasd But all your hurts may soone through tēperance be easd Then gan the Palmer thus most wretched man That to affections does the bridle lend In their beginning they are weake and wan But soone through suff'rance grow to fearefull end Whiles they are weake betimes with them contend For when they once to perfect strength do grow Strong warres they make and cruell battry bend Gainst fort of Reason it to ouerthrow Wrath gelosie griefe loue this Squire haue layd thus low Wrath gealosie griefe loue do thus expell Wrath is a fire and gealosie a weede Griefe is a flood and loue a monster fell The fire of sparkes the weede of little seede The flood of drops the Monster filth did breede But sparks seed drops and filth do thus delay The sparks soone quench the springing seed outweed The drops dry vp and filth wipe cleane away So shall wrath gealosie griefe loue dye and decay Vnlucky Squire said Guyon sith thou hast Falne vnto mischiefe through intemperaunce Henceforth take heede of that thou now hast past And guide thy wayes with warie gouernaunce Least worse betide thee by some later chaunce But read how art thou nam'd and of what kin Phedon I hight quoth he and do aduaunce Mine auncestry from famous Coradin Who first to rayse our house to honour did begin Thus as he spake lo far away they spyde A varlet running towards hastily Whose flying feet so fast their way applyde That round about a cloud of dust did fly Which mingled all with sweate did dim his eye He soone approched panting breathlesse whot And all so soyld that none could him descry His countenaunce was bold and bashed not For Guyons lookes but scornefull eyglaunce at him shot Behind his backe he bore a brasen shield On which was drawen faire in colours fit A flaming fire in midst of bloudy field And round about the wreath this word was writ Burnt I do burne Right well beseemed it To be the shield of some redoubted knight And in his hand two darts exceeding flit And deadly sharpe he held whose heads were dight In poyson and in bloud of malice and despight When he in presence came to Guyon first He boldly spake Sir knight if knight thou bee Abandon this fore stalled place at erst For feare of further harme I counsell thee Or bide the chaunce at thine owne ieoperdie The knight at his great boldnesse wondered And though he scornd his idle vanitie Yet mildly him to purpose answered For not to grow of nought he it coniectured Varlet this place most dew to me I deeme Yielded by him that held it forcibly But whēce should come that harme which thou doest seeme To threat to him that minds his chaunce t'abye Perdy said he here comes and is hard by A knight of wondrous powre and great assay That neuer yet encountred enemy But did him deadly daunt or fowle dismay Ne thou for better hope if thou his presence stay How hight he then said Guyon and from whence Pyrrhochles is his name renowmed farre For his bold feats and hardy confidence Full oft approu'd in many a cruell warre The brother of Cymochles both which arre The sonnes of old Acrates and Despight Acrates sonne of Phlegeton and Iarre But Phlegeton is sonne of Herebus and Night But Herebus sonne of Aeternitie is hight So from immortall race he does proceede That mortall hands may not withstand his might Drad for his derring do and bloudy deed For all in bloud and spoile is his delight His am I Atin his in wrong and right That matter make for him to worke vpon And stirre him vp to strife and cruell fight Fly therefore fly this fearefull stead anon Least thy foolhardize worke thy sad confusion His be that care whom most it doth concerne Said he but whither with such hasty flight Art thou now bound for well mote I discerne Great cause that carries thee so swift and light My Lord quoth he me sent and streight behight To seeke Occasion where so she bee For he is all disposd to bloudy fight And breathes out wrath and hainous crueltie Hard is his hap that first fals in his ieopardie Madman said then the Palmer that does seeke Occasion to wrath and cause of strife She comes vnsought and shonned followes eke Happy who can abstaine when Rancour rife Kindles Reuenge and threats his rusty knife Woe neuer wants where euery cause is caught And rash Occasion makes vnquiet life Then loe where bound she fits whō thou hast sought Said Guyon let that message to thy Lord be brought That when the varlet heard and saw streight way He wexed wondrous wroth and said Vile knight That knights knighthood doest with shame vpbray And shewst th'enfāple of thy childish migbt With silly weake old woman thus to fight Great glory and gay spoile sure hast thou got And stoutly prou'd thy puissaunce here in sight That shall Pyrrhochles well requite I wot And with thy bloud abolish so reprochfull blot With that one of his thrillant darts he threw Headed with ire and vengeable despight The quiuering steele his aymed end well knew And to his brest it selfe intended right But he was warie and ere it empight In the meant marke aduaunst his shield atweene On which it seizing
there care in heauen and is there loue In heauenly spirits to these creatures bace That may compassion of their euils moue There is else much more wretched were the cace Of men then beasts But ô th'exceeding grace Of highest God that loues his creatures so And all his workes with mercy doth embrace That blessed Angels he sends to and fro To serue to wicked man to serue his wicked foe How oft do they their siluer bowers leaue To come to succour vs that succour want How oft do they with golden pineons cleaue The flitting skyes like flying Pursuiuant Against foule feends to aide vs millitant They for vs fight they watch and dewly ward And their bright Squadrons round about vs plant And all for loue and nothing for reward O why should heauenly God to men haue such regard During the while that Guyon did abide In Mamons house the Palmer whom whyleare That wanton Mayd of passage had denide By further search had passage found elsewhere And being on his way approched neare Where Guyon lay in traunce when suddenly He heard a voice that called loud and cleare Come hither come hither ô come hastily That all the fields resounded with the ruefull cry The Palmer lent his eare vnto the noyce To weet who called so importunely Againe he heard a more efforced voyce That bad him come in haste He by and by His feeble feet directed to the cry Which to that shadie delue him brought at last Where Mammon earst did sunne his threasury There the good Guyon he found slumbring fast In senselesse dreame which sight at first him sore aghast Beside his head there sate a faire young man Of wondrous beautie and of freshest yeares Whose tender bud to blossome new began And flourish faire aboue his equall peares His snowy front curled with golden heares Like Phoebus face adornd with sunny rayes Diuinely shone and two sharpe winged sheares Decked with diuerse plumes like painted Iayes Were fixed at his backe to cut his ayerie wayes Like as Cupido on Idaean hill When hauing laid his cruell bow away And mortall arrowes wherewith he doth fill The world with murdrous spoiles and bloudie pray With his faire mother he him dights to play And with his goodly sisters Graces three The Goddesse pleased with his wanton play Suffers her selfe through sleepe beguild to bee The whiles the other Ladies mind their merry glee Whom when the Palmer saw abasht he was Through feare and wonder that he nought could say Till him the child bespoke Long lackt alas Hath bene thy faithfull aide in hard assay Whiles deadly fit thy pupill doth dismay Behold this heauie sight thou reuerend Sire But dread of death and dolour doe away For life ere long shall to her home retire And he that breathlesse seemes shal corage bold respire The charge which God doth vnto me arret Of his deare safetie I to thee commend Yet will I not forgoe ne yet forget The care thereof my selfe vnto the end But euermore him succour and defend Against his foe and mine watch thou I pray For euill is at hand him to offend So hauing said eftsoones he gan display His painted nimble wings and vanisht quite away The Palmer seeing his left empty place And his slow eyes beguiled of their sight Woxe fore affraid and standing still a space Gaz'd after him as fowle escapt by flight At last him turning to his charge behight With trembling hand his troubled pulse gan try Where finding life not yet dislodged quight He much reioyst and courd it tenderly As chicken newly hatcht from dreaded destiny At last he spide where towards him did pace Two Paynim knights all armd as bright as skie And them beside an aged Sire did trace And farre before a light-foot Page did flie That breathed strife and troublous enmitie Those were the two sonnes of Acrates old Who meeting earst with Archimago slie Foreby that idle strond of him were told That he which earst them combatted was Guyon bold Which to auenge on him they dearely vowd Where euer that on ground they mote him fynd False Archimage prouokt their courage prowd And stryfull Atin in their stubborne mynd Coles of contention and whot vengeance tynd Now bene they come whereas the Palmer sate Keeping that slombred corse to him assynd Well knew they both his person sith of late With him in bloudie armes they rashly did debate Whom when Pyrrhochles saw inflam'd with rage That sire he soule bespake Thou dotard vile That with thy brutenesse shendst thy comely age Abandone soone I read the caitiue spoile Of that same outcast carkasse that erewhile Made it selfe famous through false trechery And crownd his coward crest with knightly stile Loe where he now inglorious doth lye To proue he liued ill that did thus foully dye To whom the Palmer fearelesse answered Certes Sir knight ye bene too much to blame Thus for to blot the honour of the dead And with foule cowardize his carkasse shame Whose liuing hands immortalizd his name Vile is the vengeance on the ashes cold And enuie base to barke at sleeping fame Was neuer wight that treason of him told Your selfe his prowesse prou'd found him fiers bold Then said Cymochles Palmer thou doest dote Ne canst of prowesse ne of knighthood deeme Saue as thou seest or hearst But well I wote That of his puissance tryall made extreeme Yet gold all is not that doth golden seeme Ne all good knights that shake well speare and shield The worth of all men by their end esteeme And then due praise or due reproch them yield Bad therefore I him deeme that thus lies dead on field Good or bad gan his brother fierce reply What doe I recke sith that he dyde entire Or what doth his bad death now satisfy The greedy hunger of reuenging ire Sith wrathfull hand wrought not her owne desire Yet since no way is left to wreake my spight I will him reaue of armes the victors hire And of that shield more worthy of good knight For why should a dead dog be deckt in armour bright Faire Sir said then the Palmer suppliaunt For knighthoods loue do not so foule a deed Ne blame your honour with so shamefull vaunt Of vile reuenge To spoile the dead of weed Is sacrilege and doth all sinnes exceed But leaue these relicks of his liuing might To decke his herce and trap his tomb-blacke steed What herce or steede said he should he haue dight But be entombed in the rauen or the kight With that rude hand vpon his shield he laid And th' other brother gan his helme vnlace Both fiercely bent to haue him disaraid Till that they spide where towards them did pace An armed knight of bold and bounteous grace Whose squire bore after him an heben launce And couerd shield Well kend him so farre space Th' enchaunter by his armes and amenaunce When vnder him he saw his Lybian steed to praunce And to those brethren said Rise rise by liue And vnto battell
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
Yet nought they feard but past on hardily Vntill they came in vew of those wild beasts Who all attonce gaping full greedily And rearing fiercely their vpstarting crests Ran towards to deuoure those vnexpected guests But soone as they approcht with deadly threat The Palmer ouer them his staffe vpheld His mighty staffe that could all charmes defeat Eftsoones their stubborne courages were queld And high aduaunced crests downe meekely feld In stead of fraying they them selues did feare And trembled as them passing they beheld Such wondrous powre did in that staffe appeare All monsters to subdew to him that did it beare Of that same wood it fram'd was cunningly Of which Caduceus whilome was made Caduceus the rod of Mercury With which he wonts the Stygian realmes inuade Through ghastly horrour and eternall shade Th' infernall feends with it he can asswage And Orcus tame whom nothing can perswade And rule the Furyes when they most do rage Such vertue in his staffe had eke this Palmer sage Thence passing forth they shortly do arriue Whereas the Bowre of Blisse was situate A place pick out by choice of best aliue That natures worke by art can imitate In which what euer in this worldly state Is sweet and pleasing vnto liuing sense Or that may dayntiest fantasie aggrate Was poured forth with plentifull dispence And made there to abound with lauish affluence Goodly it was enclosed round about Aswell their entred guestes to keepe within As those vnruly beasts to hold without Yet was the fence thereof but weake and thin Nought feard their force that fortilage to win But wisedomes powre and temperaunces might By which the mightiest things efforced bin And eke the gate was wrought of substaunce light Rather for pleasure then for battery or fight Yt framed was of precious yuory That seemd a worke of admirable wit And therein all the famous history Of Iason and Medaea was ywrit Her mighty charmes her furious louing fit His goodly conquest of the golden fleece His falsed faith and loue too lightly flit The wondred Argo which in venturous peece First through the Euxine seas bore all the flowr of Greece Ye might haue seene the frothy billowes fry Vnder the ship as thorough them she went That seemd the waues were into yuory Or yuory into the waues were sent And other where the snowy substaunce sprent With vermell like the boyes bloud therein shed A piteous spectacle did represent And otherwhiles with gold besprinkeled Yt seemd th'enchaunted flame which did Creiisa wed All this and more might in that goodly gate Be red that euer open stood to all Which thither came but in the Porch there sate A comely personage of stature tall And semblaunce pleasing more then naturall That trauellers to him seemd to entize His looser garment to the ground did fall And flew about his heeles in wanton wize Not fit for speedy pace or manly exercize They in that place him Genius did call Not that celestiall powre to whom the care Of life and generation of all That liues pertaines in charge particulare Who wondrous things concerning our welfare And straunge phantomes doth let vs oft forsee And oft of secret ill bids vs beware That is our Selfe whom though we do not see Yet each doth in him selfe it well perceiue to bee Therefore a God him sage Antiquity Did wisely make and good Agdistes call But this same was to that quite contrary The foe of life that good enuyes to all That secretly doth vs procure to fall Through guilefull semblaunts which he makes vs see He of this Gardin had the gouernall And Pleasures porter was deuizd to bee Holding a staffe in hand for more formalitee With diuerse flowres he daintily was deckt And strowed round about and by his side A mighty Mazer bowle of wine was set As if it had to him bene sacrifide Wherewith all new-come guests he gratifide So did he eke Sir Guyon passing by But he his idle curtesie defide And ouerthrew his bowle disdainfully And broke his staffe with which he charmed semblants sly Thus being entred they behold around A large and spacious plaine on euery side Strowed with pleasauns whose faire grassy ground Mantled with grenee and goodly beautifide With all the ornaments of Floraes pride Wherewith her mother Art as halfe in scome Of niggard Nature like a pompous bride Did decke her and too lauishly adorne When forth from virgin bowre she comes in th' early morne Thereto the Heauens alwayes Iouiall Lookt on them louely still in stedfast state Ne suffred storme nor frost on them to fall Their tender buds or leaues to violate Nor scorching heat nor cold intemperate Tafflict the crearures which therein did dwell But the milde aire with season moderate Gently attempred and disposd so well That still it breathed forth sweet spirit holesome smell More sweet and holesome then the pleasaunt hill Of Rhodope on which the Nimphe that bore A gyaunt babe her selfe for griefe did kill Or the Thessalian Tempe where of yore Faire Daphne Phoebus hart with loue did gore Or Ida where the Gods lou'd to repaire When euer they their heauenly bowres forlore Or sweet Parnasse the ha unt of Muses faire Of Eden if ought with Eden mote compaire Much wondred Guyon at the faire aspect Of that sweet place yet suffred no delight To sincke into his sence nor mind affect But passed forth and lookt still forward right Bridling his will and maistering his might Till that he came vnto another gate No gate but like one being goodly dight With boughes and braunches which did broad dilate Their clasping armes in wanton wreathings intricate So fashioned a Porch with rare deuice Archt ouer head with an embracing vine Whose bounches hanging downe seemed to entice All passers by to tast their lushious wine And did themselues into their hands incline As freely offering to be gathered Some deepe empurpled as the Hyacint Some as the Rubine laughing sweetly red Some like faire Emeraudes not yet well ripened And them amongst some were of burnisht gold So made by art to beautifie the rest Which did themselues emongst the leaues enfold As lurking from the vew of couetous guest That the weake bowes with so rich load opprest Did bow adowne as ouer-burdened Vnder that Porch a comely dame did rest Clad in faire weedes but fowle disordered And garments loose that seemd vnmeet for womanhed In her left hand a Cup of gold she held And with her right the riper fruit did reach Whose sappy liquor that with fulnesse sweld Into her cup she scruzd with daintie breach Of her fine fingers without fowle empeach That so faire wine-presse made the wine more sweet Thereof she vsd to giue to drinke to each Whom passing by she happened to meet It was her guise all Straungers goodly so to greet So she to Gayon offred it to tast Who taking it out of her tender hond The cup to ground did violently cast That all in pecces it was broken fond And with the liquor
the bud the flowre Ne more doth flourish after first decay That earst was sought to decke both bed and bowre Of many a Ladie and many a Paramowre Gather therefore the Rose whilest yet is prime For soone comes age that will her pride deflowre Gather the Rose of loue whilest yet is time Whilest louing thou mayst loued be with equall crime He ceast and then gan all the quire of birdes Their diuerse notes t'attune vnto his lay As in approuance of his pleasing words The constant paire heard all that he did say Yet swarued not but kept their forward way Through many couert groues and thickets close In which they creeping did at last display That wanton Ladie with her louer lose Whose sleepie head she in her lap did soft dispose Vpon a bed of Roses she was layd As faint through heat or dight to pleasant sin And was arayd or rather disarayd All in a vele of silke and siluer thin That hid no whit her alablaster skin But rather shewd more white if more might bee More subtile web Arachne can not spin Nor the fine nets which oft we wouen see Of scorched deaw do not in th' aire more lightly flee Her snowy brest was bare to readie spoyle Of hungry eies which n'ote therewith be fild And yet through languour of her late sweet toyle Few drops more cleare then Nectar forth distild That like pure Orient perles adowne it trild And her faire eyes sweet smyling in delight Moystened their fierie beames with which she thrild Fraile harts yet quenched not like starry light Which sparckling on the silent waues does seeme more bright The young man sleeping by her seemd to bee Some goodly swayne of honorable place That certes it great pittie was to see Him his nobilitie so foule deface A sweet regard and amiable grace Mixed with manly sternnesse did appeare Yet sleeping in his well proportiond face And on his tender lips the downy heare Did now but freshly spring and silken blossomes beare His warlike armes the idle instruments Of sleeping praise were hong vpon a tree And his braue shield full of old moniments Was fowly ra'st that none the signes might see Ne for them ne for honour cared hee Ne ought that did to his aduauncement tend But in lewd loues and wastfull luxuree His dayes his goods his bodie he did spend O horrible enchantment that him so did blend The noble Elfe and carefull Palmer drew So nigh them minding nought but lustfull game That suddein forth they on them rusht and threw A subtile net which onely for the same The skilfull Palmer formally did frame So held them vnder fast the whiles the rest Fled all away for feare of fowler shame The faire Enchauntresse so vnwares opprest Tryde all her arts all her sleights thence out to wrest And eke her louer stroue but all in vaine For that same net so cunningly was wound That neither guile nor force might it distraine They tooke them both both them strongly bound In captiue bandes which there they readie found But her in chaines of adamant he tyde For nothing else might keepe her safe and sound But Verdant so he hight he soone vntyde And counsell sage in steed thereof to him applyde But all those pleasant bowres and Pallace braue Guyon broke downe with rigour pittilesse Ne ought their goodly workmanship might saue Them from the tempest of his wrathfulnesse But that their blisse he turn'd to balefulnesse Their groues he feld their gardins did deface Their arbers spoyld their Cabinets suppresse Their banket houses burne their buildings race And of the fairest late now made the fowlest place Then led they her away and eke that knight They with them led both sorrowfull and sad The way they came the same retourn'd they right Till they arriued where they lately had Charm'd those wild-beasts that rag'd with furie mad Which now awaking fierce at them gan fly As in their mistresse reskew whom they lad But them the Palmer soone did pacify Then Guyon askt what meant those beastes which there didly Said he these seeming beasts are men indeed Whom this Enchauntresse hath transformed thus Whylome her louers which her lusts did feed Now turned into figures hideous According to their mindes like monstruous Sad end quoth he of life intemperate And mournefull meed of ioyes delicious But Palmer if it mote thee so aggrate Let them returned be vnto their former state Streight way he with his vertuous staffe them strooke And streight of beasts they comely men became Yet being men they did vnmanly looke And stared ghastly some for inward shame And some for wrath to see their captiue Dame But one aboue the rest in speciall That had an hog beene late hight Grille by name Repined greatly and did him miscall That had from hoggish forme him brought to naturall Said Guyon See the mind of beastly man That hath so soone forgot the excellence Of his creation when he life began That now he chooseth with vile difference To be a beast and lacke intelligence To whom the Palmer thus The donghill kind Delights in filth and foule incontinence Let Grill be Grill and haue his hoggish mind But let vs hence depart whilest wether serues and wind THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Contayning THE LEGEND OF BRITOMARTIS OR Of Chastitie IT falles me here to write of Chastity That fairest vertue farre aboue the rest For which what needs me fetch from Faery Forreine ensamples it to haue exprest Sith it is shrined in my Soueraines brest And form'd so liuely in each perfect part That to all Ladies which haue it profest Need but behold the pourtraict of her hart If pourtrayd it might be by any liuing art But liuing art may not least part expresse Nor life-resembling pencill it can paint All were it Zeuxis or Praxiteles His daedale hand would faile and greatly faint And her perfections with his error taint Ne Poets wit that passeth Painter farre In picturing the parts of beautie daint So hard a workmanship aduenture darre For fear through want of words her excellence to marre How then shall I Apprentice of the skill That whylome in diuinest wits did raine Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill Yet now my lucklesse lot doth me constraine Hereto perforce But ô dred Soueraine Thus farre forth pardon sith that choicest wit Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure plaine That I in colourd showes may shadow it And antique praises vnto present persons fit But if in liuing colours and right hew Your selfe you couet to see pictured Who can it doe more liuely or more trew Then that sweet verse with Nectar sprinckeled In which a gracious seruant pictured His Cynthia his heauens fairest light That with his melting sweetnesse rauished And with the wonder of her beames bright My senses lulled are in slomber of delight But let that same delitious Poet lend A little leaue vnto a rusticke Muse To sing his mistresse prayse and let him mend If ought amis her
limbes and terrible his looke And in his clownish hand a sharp bore speare he shooke Which outrage when those gentle knights did see Full of great enuie and fell gealosy They stayd not to auise who first should bee But all spurd after fast as they mote fly To reskew her from shamefull villany The Prince and Guyon equally byliue Her selfe pursewd in hope to win thereby Most goodly meede the fairest Dame aliue But after the foule foster Timias did striue The whiles faire Britomart whose constant mind Would not so lightly follow beauties chace Ne reckt of Ladies Loue did stay behind And them awayted there a certaine space To weet if they would turne backe to that place But when she saw them gone she forward went As lay her iourney through that perlous Pace With stedfast courage and stout hardiment Ne euill thing she fear'd ne euill thing she ment At last as nigh out of the wood she came A stately Castle farre away she spyde To which her steps directly she did frame That Castle was most goodly edifyde And plaste for pleasure nigh that forrest syde But faire before the gate a spatious plaine Mantled with greene it selfe did spredden wyde On which she saw sixe knights that did darraine Fierce battell against one with cruell might and maine Mainly they all attonce vpon him laid And sore beset on euery side around That nigh he breathlesse grew yet nought dismaid Ne euer to them yielded foot of ground All had he lost much bloud through many a wound But stoutly dealt his blowes and euery way To which he turned in his wrathfull stound Made them recoile and fly from dred decay That none of all the sixe before him durst assay Like dastard Curres that hauing at a bay The saluage beast embost in wearie chace Dare not aduenture on the stubborne pray Ne byte before but rome from place to place To get a snatch when turned is his face In such distresse and doubtfull ieopardy When Britomart him saw she ran a pace Vnto his reskew and with earnest cry Bad those same sixe forbeare that single enimy But to her cry they list not lenden eare Ne ought the more their mightie strokes surceasse But gathering him round about more neare Their direfull rancour rather did encreasse Till that she rushing through the thickest preasse Perforce disparted their compacted gyre And soone compeld to hearken vnto peace Tho gan she myldly of them to inquyre The cause of their dissention and outrageous yre Whereto that single knight did answere frame These sixe would me enforce by oddes of might To chaunge my liefe and loue another Dame That death me liefer were then such despight So vnto wrong to yield my wrested right For I loue one the truest one on ground Ne list me chaunge she th' Errant Damzell hight For whose deare sake full many a bitter stownd I haue endur'd and tasted many a bloudy wound Certes said she then bene ye sixe to blame To weene your wrong by force to iustifie For knight to leaue his Ladie were great shame That faithfull is and better were to die All losse is lesse and lesse the infamie Then losse of loue to him that loues but one Ne may loue be compeld by maisterie For soone as maisterie comes sweet loue anone Taketh his nimble wings and soone away is gone Then spake one of those sixe There dwelleth here Within this castle wall a Ladie faire Whose soueraine beautie hath no liuing pere Thereto so bounteous and so debonaire That neuer any mote with her compaire She hath ordaind this law which we approue That euery knight which doth this way repaire In case he haue no Ladie nor no loue Shall doe vnto her seruice neuer to remoue But if he haue a Ladie or a Loue Then must he her forgoe with foule defame Or else with vs by dint of sword approue That she is fairer then our fairest Dame As did this knight before ye hither came Perdie said Britomart the choise is hard But what reward had he that ouercame He should aduaunced be to high regard Said they and haue our Ladies loue for his reward Therefore a read Sir if thou haue a loue Loue haue I sure quoth she but Lady none Yet will I not fro mine owne loue remoue Ne to your Lady will I seruice done But wreake your wrongs wrought to this knight alone And proue his cause With that her mortall speare She mightily auentred towards one And downe him smot ere well aware he weare Then to the next she rode downe the next did beare Ne did she stay till three on ground she layd That none of them himselfe could reare againe The fourth was by that other knight dismayd All were he wearie of his former paine That now there do but two of six remaine Which two did yield before she did them smight Ah said she then now may ye all see plaine That truth is strong and trew loue most of might That for his trusty seruaunts doth so strongly fight Too well we see said they and proue too well Our faulty weaknesse and your matchlesse might For thy faire Sir yours be the Damozell Which by her owne law to your lot doth light And we your liege men faith vnto you plight So vnderneath her feet their swords they shard And after her besought well as they might To enter in and reape the dew reward She graunted and then in they all together far'd Long were it to describe the goodly frame And stately port of Castle Ioyeous For so that Castle hight by commune name Where they were entertaind with curteous And comely glee of many gracious Faire Ladies and many a gentle knight Who through a Chamber long and spacious Eftsoones them brought vnto their Ladies sight That of them cleeped was the Lady of delight But for to tell the sumptuous aray Of that great chamber should be labour lost For liuing wit I weene cannot display The royall riches and exceeding cost Of euery pillour and of euery post Which all of purest bullion framed were And with great pearles and pretious stones embost That the bright glister of their beames cleare Did sparckle forth great light and glorious did appeare These straunger knights through passing forth were led Into an inner rowme whose royaltee And rich purueyance might vneath be red Mote Princes place be seeme so deckt to bee Which stately manner when as they did see The image of superfluous riotize Exceeding much the state of meane degree They greatly wondred whence so sumptuous guize Might be maintaynd and each gan diuersely deuize The wals were round about apparelled With costly clothes of Arras and of Toure In which with cunning hand was pourtrahed The loue of Venus and her Paramoure The faire Adonis turned to a flowre A worke of rare deuice and wondrous wit First did it shew the bitter balefull stowre Which her assayd with many a feruent fit When first her tender hart was with his beautie smit Then
my hart doth bleed But since thy faithfull zeale lets me not hyde My crime if crime it be I will it reed Nor Prince nor pere it is whose loue hath gryde My feeble brest of late and launched this wound wyde Nor man it is nor other liuing wight For then some hope I might vnto me draw But th' only shade and semblant of a knight Whose shape or person yet I neuer saw Hath me subiected to loues cruell law The same one day as me misfortune led I in my fathers wondrous mirrhour saw And pleased with that seeming goodly-hed Vnwares the hidden hooke with baite I swallowed Sithens it hath infixed faster hold Within my bleeding bowels and so sore Now ranckleth in this same fraile fleshly mould That all mine entrailes flow with poysnous gore And th'vlcer groweth daily more and more Ne can my running sore find remedie Other then my hard fortune to deplore And languish as the leafe falne from the tree Till death make one end of my dayes and miserie Daughter said she what need ye be dismayd Or why make ye such Monster of your mind Of much more vncouth thing I was affrayd Of filthy lust contrarie vnto kind But this affection nothing straunge I find For who with reason can you aye reproue To loue the semblant pleasing most your mind And yield your heart whence ye cannot remoue No guilt in you but in the tyranny of loue Not so th' Arabian Myrrhe did set her mind Not so did Biblis spend her pining hart But lou'd their natiue flesh against all kind And to their purpose vsed wicked art Yet playd Pasiphaë a more mostrous part That lou'd a Bull and learnd a beast to bee Such shamefull lusts who loaths not which depart From course of nature and of modestie Sweet loue such lewdnes bands from his faire companie But thine my Deare welfare thy heart my deare Though strange beginning had yet fixed is On one that worthy may perhaps appeare And certes seemes bestowed not amis Ioy thereof haue thou and eternall blis With that vpleaning on her elbow weake Her alablasted brest she soft did kis Which all that while she felt to pant and quake As it an Earth-quake were at last she thus bespake Beldame your words doe worke me litle ease For though my loue be not so lewdly bent As those ye blame yet may it nought appease My raging smart ne ought my flame relent But rather doth my helpelesse griefe augment For they how euer shamefull and vnkind Yet did possesse their horrible intent Short end of sorrowes they thereby did find So was their fortune good though wicked were their mind But wicked fortune mine though mind be good Can haue no end nor hope of my desire But feed on shadowes whiles I die for food And like a shadow wexe whiles with entire Affection I doe languish and expire I fonder then Cephisus foolish child Who hauing vewed in a fountaine shere His face was with the loue thereof beguild I fonder loue a shade the bodie farre exild Nought like quoth she for that same wretched boy Was of himselfe the idle Paramoure Both loue and louer without hope of ioy For which he faded to a watry flowre But better fortune thine and better howre Which lou'st the shadow of a warlike knight No shadow but a bodie hath in powre That bodie wheresoeuer that it light May learned be by cyphers or by Magicke might But if thou may with reason yet represse The growing euill ere it strength haue got And thee abandond wholly doe possesse Against it strongly striue and yield thee not Till thou in open field adowne be smot But if the passion mayster thy fraile might So that needs loue or death must be thy lot Then I auow to thee by wrong or right To compasse thy desire and find that loued knight Her chearefull words much cheard the feeble spright Of the sicke virgin that her downe she layd In her warme bed to sleepe if that she might And the old-woman carefully displayd The clothes about her round with busie ayd So that at last a little creeping sleepe Surprisd her sense She therewith well apayd The drunken lampe downe in the oyle did steepe And set her by to watch and set her by to weepe Earely the morrow next before that day His ioyous face did to the world reueale They both vprose and tooke their readie way Vnto the Church their prayers to appeale With great deuotion and with litle zeale For the faire Damzell from the holy herse Her loue-sicke hart to other thoughts did steale And that old Dame said many an idle verse Out of her daughters hart fond fancies to reuerse Returned home the royall Infant fell Into her former fit for why no powre Nor guidance of her selfe in her did dwell But th' aged Nurse her calling to her bowre Had gathered Rew and Sauine and the flowre Of Camphara and Calamint and Dill All which she in a earthen Pot did poure And to the brim with Colt wood did it fill And many drops of milke and bloud through it did spill Then taking thrise three haires from off her head Them trebly breaded in a threefold lace And round about the pots mouth bound the thread And after hauing whispered a space Certaine sad words with hollow voice and bace She to the virgin said thrise said she it Come daughter come come spit vpon my face Spit thrise vpon me thrise vpon me spit Th'vneuen number for this businesse is most fit That sayd her round about she from her turnd She turned her contrarie to the Sunne Thrise she her turnd contrary and returnd All contrary for she the right did shunne And euer what she did was streight vndonne So thought she to vndoe her daughters loue But loue that is in gentle brest begonne No idle charmes so lightly may remoue That well can witnesse who by triall it does proue Ne ought it mote the noble Mayd auayle Ne slake the furie of her cruell flame But that she still did waste and still did wayle That through long laugour and hart-burning brame She shortly like a pyned ghost became Which long hath waited by the Stygian strond That when old Glauce saw for feare least blame Of her miscarriage should in her be fond She wist not how t' amend nor how it to withstond Cant. III. Merlin bewrayes to Britomart the state of Artegall And shewes the famous Progeny which from them springen shall MOst sacred fire that burnest mightily In liuing brests ykindled first aboue Emongst th' eternall spheres and lamping sky And thence pourd into men which men call Loue Not that same which doth base affections moue In brutish minds and filthy lust inflame But that sweet fit that doth true beautie loue And choseth vertue for his dearest Dame Whence spring all noble deeds and neuer dying fame Well did Antiquitie a God thee deeme That ouer mortall minds hast so great might To order them as best to thee doth seeme And
was that woman this that deadly wound That Proteus prophecide should him dismay The which his mother vainely did expound To be hart-wounding loue which should assay To bring her sonne vnto his last decay So tickle be the termes of mortall state And full of subtile sophismes which do play With double senses and with false debate Tapproue the vnknowen purpose of eternall fate Too true the famous Marinell it fownd Who through late triall on that wealthy Strond Inglorious now lies in senselesse swownd Through heauy stroke of Britomartis hond Which when his mother deare did vnderstond And heauy tydings heard whereas she playd Amongst her watry sisters by a pond Gathering sweet daffadillyes to haue made Gay girlonds from the Sun their forheads faire to shade Eftsoones both flowres and girlonds farre away She flong and her faire deawy lockes yrent To sorrow huge she turnd her former play And gameson merth to grieuous dreriment She threw her selfe downe on the Continent Ne word did speake but lay as in a swowne Whiles all her sisters did for her lament With yelling outcries and with shrieking sowne And euery one did teare her girlond from her crowne Soone as she vp out of her deadly fit Arose she bad her charet to be brought And all her sisters that with her did sit Bad eke attonce their charets to be sought Tho full of bitter griefe and pensiue thought She to her wagon clombe clombe all the rest And forth together went with sorrow fraught The waues obedient to their beheast Them yielded readie passage and their rage surceast Great Neptune stood amazed at their sight Whiles on his broad round backe they softly slid And eke himselfe mournd at their mournfull plight Yet wist not what their wailing ment yet did For great compassion of their sorrow bid His mightie waters to them buxome bee Eftsoones the roaring billowes still abid And all the griefly Monsters of the See Stood gaping at their gate and wondred them to see A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray Drew the smooth charet of sad Cymoent They were all taught by Triton to obay To the long traines at her commaundement As swift as swallowes on the waues they went That their broad flaggie finnes no fome did reare Ne bubbling roundell they behind them sent The rest of other fishes drawen weare Which with their finny oars the swelling sea did sheare Soone as they bene arriu'd vpon the brim Of the Rich strond their charets they forlore And let their temed fishes softly swim Along the margent of the fomy shore Least they their finnes should bruze and surbate sore Their tender feet vpon the stony ground And comming to the place where all in gore And cruddy bloud enwallowed they found The lucklesse Marinell lying in deadly swound His mother swowned thrise and the third time Could scarce recouered be out of her paine Had she not bene deuoyd of mortall slime She should not then haue bene reliu'd againe But soone as life recouered had the raine She made so piteous mone and deare wayment That the hard rocks could scarse from teares refraine And all her sister Nymphes with one consent Supplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement Deare image of my selfe she said that is The wretched sonne of wretched mother borne Is this thine high aduauncement ô is this Th' immortall name with which thee yet vnborne Thy Gransire Nereus promist to adorne Now lyest thou of life and honor reft Now lyest thou a lumpe of earth forlorne Ne of thy late life memory is left Ne can thy irreuocable destiny be weft Fond Proteus father of false prophecis And they more fond that credit to thee giue Not this the worke of womans hand ywis That so deepe wound through these deare members driue I feared loue but they that loue do liue But they that die doe neither loue nor hate Nath'lesse to thee thy folly I forgiue And to my selfe and to accursed fate The guilt I doe ascribe deare wisedome bought too late O what auailes it of immortall seed To beene ybred and neuer borne to die Farre better I it deeme to die with speed Then waste in woe and wailefull miserie Who dyes the vtmost dolour doth abye But who that liues is left to waile his losse So life is losse and death felicitie Sad life worse then glad death and greater crosse To see friends graue thē dead the graue selfe to engrosse But if the heauens did his dayes enuie And my short blisse maligne yet mote they well Thus much afford me ere that he did die That the dim eyes of my deare Marinell I mote haue closed and him bed farewell Sith other offices for mother meet They would not graunt Yet maulgre them farewell my sweetest sweet Farewell my sweetest sonne sith we no more shall meet Thus when they all had sorrowed their fill They softly gan to search his griesly wound And that they might him handle more at will They him disarm'd and spredding on the ground Their watchet mantles frindgd with siluer round They softly wipt away the gelly blood From th'orifice which hauing well vpbound They pourd in soueraine balme and Nectar good Good both for earthly med'cine and for heauenly food Tho when the lilly handed Liagore This Liagore whylome had learned skill In leaches craft by great Appolloes lore Sith her whylome vpon high Pindus hill He loued and at last her wombe did fill With heauenly seed whereof wise Paeon sprong Did feele his pulse she knew their staied still Some litle life his feeble sprites emong Which to his mother told despeire she from her flong Tho vp him taking in their tender hands They easily vnto her charet beare Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare And strow with flowres the lamentable beare Then all the rest into their coches clim And through the brackish waues their passage sheare Vpon great Neptunes necke they softly swim And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him Deepe in the bottome of the sea her bowre Is built of hollow billowes heaped hye Like to thicke cloudes that threat a stormy showre And vauted all within like to the sky In which the Gods do dwell eternally There they him laid in easie couch well dight And sent in haste for Tryphon to apply Salues to his wounds and medicines of might For Tryphon of sea gods the soueraine leach is hight The whiles the Nymphes sit all about him round Lamenting his mishap and heauy plight And oft his mother vewing his wide wound Cursed the hand that did so deadly smight Her dearest sonne her dearest harts delight But none of all those curses ouertooke The warlike Maid th'ensample of that might But fairely well she thriu'd and well did brooke Her noble deeds ne her right course for ought forsooke Yet did false Archimage her still pursew To bring to passe his mischieuous intent Now that he had her singled from the crew Of courteous knights the Prince and Faery
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
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
spreds through heauen bright Blindfold he was and in his cruell fist A mortall bow and arrowes keene did hold With which he shot at randon when him list Some headed with sad lead some with pure gold Ah man beware how thou those darts behold A wounded Dragon vnder him did ly Whose hideous tayle his left foot did ensold And with a shaft was shot through either eye That no man forth might draw ne no man remedye And vnderneath his feet was written thus Vnto the Victor of the Gods this bee And all the people in that ample hous Did to that image bow their humble knee And oft committed fowle Idola tree That wondrous sight faire Britomart amazed Ne seeing could her wonder satisfie But euermore and more vpon it gazed The whiles the passing brightnes her fraile sences dazed Tho as she backward cast her busie eye To search each secret of that goodly sted Ouer the dore thus written she did spye Be hold she oft and oft it ouer-red Yet could not find what sence it figured But what so were therein or writ or ment She was no whit thereby discouraged From prosecuting of her first intent But forward with bold steps into the next roome went Much fairer then the former was that roome And richlier by many partes arayd For not with arras made in painefull loome But with pure gold it all was ouerlayd Wrought with wilde Antickes which their follies playd In the rich metall as they liuing were A thousand monstrous formes therein were made Such as false loue doth oft vpon him weare For loue in thousand mōstrous formes doth oft appeare And all about the glistring walles were hong With warlike spoiles and with victorious prayes Of mighty Conquerours and Captaines strong Which were whilome captiued in their dayes To cruell loue and wrought their owne decayes Their swerds speres were broke hauberques rent And their proud girlonds of tryumphant bayes Troden in dust with fury insolent To shew the victors might and mercilesse intent The warlike Mayde beholding earnestly The goodly ordinance of this rich place Did greatly wonder ne could satisfie Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space But more she meruaild that no footings trace Nor wight appear'd but wastefull emptinesse And solemne silence ouer all that place Straunge thing it seem'd that none was to possesse So rich purueyance ne them keepe with carefulnesse And as she lookt about she did behold How ouer that same dore was likewise writ Be bold be bold and euery where Be bold That much she muz'd yet could not construe it By any ridling skill or commune wit At last she spyde at that roomes vpper end Another yron dore on which was writ Be not too bold whereto though she did bend Her earnest mind yet wist not what it might intend Thus she there waited vntill euentyde Yet liuing creature none she saw appeare And now sad shadowes gan the world to hyde From mortall vew and wrap in darkenesse dreare Yet nould she d'off her weary armes for feare Of secret daunger ne let sleepe oppresse Her heauy eyes with natures burdein deare But drew her selfe aside in sickernesse And her welpointed weapons did about her dresse Cant. XII The maske of Cupid and th'enchaunted Chamber are displayd Whence Britomart redeemes faire Amoret through charmes decayd THo when as chearelesse Night ycouered had Faire heauen with an vniuersall cloud That euery wight dismayd with darknesse sad In silence and in sleepe themselues did shroud She heard a shrilling Trompet sound aloud Signe of nigh battell or got victory Nought therewith daunted was her courage proud But rather stird to cruell enmity Expecting cuer when some foe she might descry With that an hideous storme of winde arose With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt And an earth-quake as if it streight would lose The worlds foundations from his centre fixt A direfull stench of smoke and sulphure mixt Ensewd whose noyance fild the fearefull sted From the fourth houre of night vntill the sixt Yet the bold Britonesse was nought ydred Though much emmou'd but stedfast still perseuered All suddenly a stormy whirlwind blew Throughout the house that clapped euery dore With which that yron wicket open flew As it with mightie leuers had bene tore And forth issewd as on the ready flore Of some Theatre a graue personage That in his hand a branch of laurell bore With comely haueour and count'nance sage Yclad in costly garments fit for tragicke Stage Proceeding to the midst he still did stand As if in mind he somewhat had to say And to the vulgar beckning with his hand In signe of silence as to heare a play By liuely actions he gan bewray Some argument of matter passioned Which doen he backe retyred soft away And passing by his name discouered Ease on his robe in golden letters cyphered The noble Mayd still standing all this vewd And merueild at his strange intendiment With that a ioyous fellowship issewd Of Minstrals making goodly meriment With wanton Bardes and Rymers impudent All which together sungfull chearefully A lay of loues delight with sweet consent After whom marcht a iolly company In manner of a maske enranged orderly The whiles a most delitious harmony In full straunge notes was sweetly heard to sound That the rare sweetnesse of the melody The feeble senses wholly did confound And the fraile soule in deepe delight nigh dround And when it ceast shrill trompets loud did bray That their report did farre away rebound And when they ceast it gan againe to play The whiles the maskers marched forth in trim aray The first was Fancy like a louely boy Of rare aspect and beautie without peare Matchable either to that ympe of Troy Whom Ioue did loue and chose his cup to beare Or that same daintie lad which was so deare To great Alcides that when as he dyde He wailed womanlike with many a teare And euery wood and euery valley wyde He fild with Hylas name the Nymphes eke Hylas cryde His garment neither was of silke nor say But painted plumes in goodly order dight Like as the sunburnt Indians do aray Their tawney bodies in their proudest plight As those same plumes so seemd he vaine and light That by his gate might easily appeare For still he far'd as dauncing in delight And in his hand a windy fan did beare That in the idle aire he mou'd still here and there And him beside marcht amorous Desyre Who seemd of riper yeares then th' other Swaine Yet was that others swayne this elders syre And gaue him being commune to them twaine His garment was disguised very vaine And his embrodered Bonet sat awry Twixt both his hands few sparkes he close did straine Which still he blew and kindled busily That soone they life conceiud forth in flames did fly Next after him went Doubt who was yclad In a discolour'd cote of straunge disguyse That at his backe a brode Capuccio had And sleeues dependant Albanese-wyse He lookt askew with
to despaire did turne Misdeeming sure that her those flames did burne And therefore gan aduize with her old Squire Who her deare nourslings losse no lesse did mourne Thence to depart for further aide t' enquire Where let them wend at will whilest here I doe respire A Vision vpon this conceipt of the Faery Queene ME thought I saw the graue where Laura lay Within that Temple where the vestall flame Was wont to burne and passing by that way To see that buried dust of liuing fame Whose tombe faire loue and fairer vertue kept All suddenly I saw the Faery Queene At whose approch the soule of Petrarke wept And from thenceforth those graces were not seene For they this Queene attended in whose steed Obliuion laid him downe on Lauras herse Hereat the hardest stones were seene to bleed And grones of buried ghostes the heauens did perse Where Homers spright did tremble all for griefe And curst th' accesse of that celestiall theife Another of the same THe prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings As doth the Cuckoes song delight when Philumena sings If thou hast formed right true vertues face herein Vertue her selfe can best discerne to whom they written bin If thou hast beautie praysd let her sole lookes diuine Iudge if ought therein be amis and mend it by her eine If Chastitie want ought or Temperance her dew Behold her Princely mind aright and write thy Queene anew Meane while she shall perceiue how farre her vertues sore Aboue the reach of all that liue or such as wrote of yore And thereby will excuse and fauour thy good will Whose vertue can not be exprest but by an Angels quill Of me no lines are lou'd nor letters are of price Of all which speake our English tongue but those of thy deuice W.R. To the learned Shepheard COllyn I see by thy new taken taske some sacred fury hath enricht thy braynes That leades thy muse in haughtie verse to maske and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto kings So like the liuely Larke that mounting sings Thy louely Rosolinde seemes now forlorne and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in scorne those prety pypes that did thy mates delight Those trustie mates that loued thee so well VVhom thou gau'st mirth as they gaue thee the bell Yet as thou earst with thy sweet roundelayes didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes delight the dainty eares of higher powers And so mought they in their deepe skanning skill Alow and grace our Collyns flowing quill And fare befall that Faerie Queene of thine in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sits Enfusing by those bewties fiers deuine Such high conceites into thy humble wits As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede From rusticke tunes to chaunt heroique deedes So mought thy Redcrosse knight with happy hand victorious be in that faire Hands right VVhich thou doest vaile in Type of Faery land Elyzas blessed field that Albion hight That shieldes her friends and warres her mightie foes Yet still with people peace and plentie flowes But iolly Shepheard though with pleasing style thou feast the humour of the Courtly traine Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright From whence thy Muse and all the world takes light Hobynoll THE SECOND PART OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Containing THE FOVRTH FIFTH AND SIXTH BOOKES By Ed. Spenser ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London for VVilliam Ponsonby 1596. THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Containing The Legend of CAMBEL and TELAMOND OR OF FRIENDSHIP THe rugged forhead that with graue foresight Welds kingdomes causes affaires of state My looser rimes I wote doth sharply wite For praising loue as I haue done of late And magnifying louers deare debate By which fraile youth is oft to follie led Through false allurement of that pleasing baite That better were in vertues discipled Then with vaine poemes weeds to haue their fancies fed Such ones ill iudge of loue that cannot loue Ne in their frosen hearts feele kindly flame For thy they ought not thing vnknowne reproue Ne naturall affection faultlesse blame For fault of few that haue abusd the same For it of honor and all vertue is The roote and brings forth glorious flowres of fame That crowne true louers with immortall blis The meed of them that loue and do not liue amisse Which who so list looke backe to former ages And call to count the things that then were donne Shall find that all the workes of those wise sages And braue exploits which great Heroes wonne In loue were either ended or begunne Witnesse the father of Philosophie Which to his Critias shaded oft from sunne Of loue full manie lessons did apply The which these Stoicke censours cannot well deny To such therefore I do not sing at all But to that sacred Saint my soueraigne Queene In whose chast breast all bountie naturall And treasures of true loue enlocked beene Boue all her sexe that euer yet was seene To her I sing of loue that loueth best And best is lou'd of all aliue I weene To her this song most fitly is addrest The Queene of loue Prince of peace frō heauen blest Which that she may the better deigne to heare Do thou dred infant Venus dearling doue From her high spirit chase imperious feare And vse of awfull Maiestie remoue In sted thereof with drops of melting loue Deawd with ambrosiall kisses by thee gotten From thy sweete smyling mother from aboue Sprinckle her heart and haughtie courage soften That she may hearke to loue and reade this lesson often Cant. I. Fayre Britomart saues Amoret Duessa discord breedes Twixt Scudamour and Blandamour Their fight and warlike deedes OF louers sad calamities of old Full many piteous stories doe remaine But none more piteous euer was ytold Then that of Amorets hart-binding chaine And this of Florimels vnworthie paine The deare compassion of whose bitter fit My softened heart so sorely doth constraine That I with teares full oft doe pittie it And oftentimes doe wish it neuer had bene writ For from the time that Scudamour her bought In perilous fight she neuer ioyed day A perilous fight when he with force her brought From twentie Knights that did him all assay Yet fairely well he did them all dismay And with great glorie both the shield of loue And eke the Ladie selfe he brought away Whom hauing wedded as did him behoue A new vnknowen mischiefe did from him remoue For that same vile Enchauntour Busyran The very selfe same day that she was wedded Amidst the bridale feast whilest euery man Surcharg'd with wine were heedlesse and ill hedded All bent to mirth before the bride was bedded Brought in that mask of loue which late was showen And there the Ladie ill of friends bestedded By way of sport as oft
Paridel resynd Nathlesse he forth did march well as he might And made good semblance to his companie Dissembling his disease and euill plight Till that ere long they chaunced to espie Two other knights that towards them did ply With speedie course as bent to charge them new Whom when as Blandamour approching nie Perceiu'd to be such as they seemd in vew He was full wo and gan his former griefe renew For th' one of them he perfectly descride To be Sir Scudamour by that he bore The God of loue with wings displayed wide Whom mortally he hated euermore Both for his worth that all men did adore And eke because his loue he wonne by right Which when he thought it grieued him full sore That through the bruses of his former fight He now vnable was to wreake his old despight For thy he thus to Paridel bespake Faire Sir offriendship let me now you pray That as I late aduentured for your sake The hurts whereof me now from battell stay Ye will me now with like good turne repay And iustifie my cause on yonder knight Ah Sir said Paridel do not dismay Your selfe for this my selfe will for you fight As ye haue done for me the left hand rubs the right With that he put his spurres vnto his steed With speare in rest and toward him did fare Like shaft out of a bow preuenting speed But Scudamour was shortly well aware Of his approch and gan him selfe prepare Him to receiue with entertainment meete So furiously they met that either bare The other downe vnder their horses feete That what of them became themselues did scarsly weete As when two billowes in the Irish sowndes Forcibly driuen with contrarie tydes Do meete together each abacke rebowndes With roaring rage and dashing on all sides That filleth all the sea with some diuydes The doubtfull current into diuers wayes So fell those two in spight of both their prydes But Scudamour himselfe did soone vprayse And mounting light his foe for lying long vpbrayes Who rolled on an heape lay still in swound All carelesse of his taunt and bitter rayle Till that the rest him seeing lie on ground Ran hastily to weete what did him ayle Where finding that the breath gan him to fayle With busie care they stroue him to awake And doft his helmet and vndid his mayle So much they did that at the last they brake His slomber yet so mazed that he nothing spake Which when as Blandamour beheld he sayd False faitour Scudamour that hast by slight And foule aduantage this good Knight dismayd A Knight much better then thy selfe behight Well falles it thee that I am not in plight This day to wreake the dammage by thee donne Such is thy wont that still when any Knight Is weakned then thou doest him ouerronne So hast thou to thy selfe false honour often wonne He little answer'd but in manly heart His mightie indignation did forbeare Which was not yet so secret but some part Thereof did in his frouning face appeare Like as a gloomie cloud the which doth beare An hideous storme is by the Northerne blast Quite ouerblowne yet doth not passe so cleare But that it all the skie doth ouercast With darknes dred and threatens all the world to wast Ah gentle knight then false Duessa sayd Why do ye striue for Ladies loue so sore Whose chiefe desire is loue and friendly aid Mongst gentle Knights to nourish euermore Ne be ye wroth Sir Scudamour therefore That she your loue list loue another knight Ne do your selfe dislike a whit the more For Loue is free and led with selfe delight Ne will enforced be with maisterdome or might So false Duessa but vile Ate thus Both foolish knights I can but laugh at both That striue and storme with stirre outrageous For her that each of you alike doth loth And loues another with whom now she goth In louely wise and sleepes and sports and playes Whilest both you here with many a cursed oth Sweare she is yours and stirre vp bloudie frayes To win a willow bough whilest other weares the bayes Vile hag sayd Scudamour why dost thou lye And falsly seekst a vertuous wight to shame Fond knight sayd she the thing that with this eye I saw why should I doubt to tell the same Then tell quoth Blandamour and feare no blame Tell what thou saw'st maulgre who so it heares I saw quoth she a stranger knight whose name I wote not well but in his shield he beares That well I wote the heads of many broken speares I saw him haue your Amoret at will I saw him kisse I saw him her embrace I saw him sleepe with her all night his fill All manie nights and manie by in place That present were to testifie the case Which when as Scudamour did heare his heart Was thrild with inward griefe as when in chace The Parthian strikes a stag with shiuering dart The beast astonisht stands in middest of his smart So stood Sir Scudamour when this he heard Ne word he had to speake for great dismay But lookt on Glauce grim who woxe afeard Of outrage for the words which she heard say Albee vntrue she wist them by assay But Blandamour whenas he did espie His chaunge of cheere that anguish did bewray He woxe full blithe as he had got thereby And gan thereat to triumph without victorie Lo recreant sayd he the fruitlesse end Of thy vaine boast and spoile of loue misgotten Whereby the name of knight-hood thou dost shend And all true louers with dishonor blotten All things not rooted well will soone be rotten Fy fy false knight then false Duessa cryde Vnworthy life that loue with guile hast gotten Be thou where euer thou do go or ryde Loathed of ladies all and of all knights defyde But Scudamour for passing great despight Staid not to answer scarcely did refraine But that in all those knights and ladies sight He for reuenge had guiltlesse Glauce slaine But being past he thus began amaine False traitour squire false squire of falsest knight Why doth mine hand from thine auenge abstaine Whose Lord hath done my loue this soule despight Why do I not it wreake on thee now in my might Discourteous disloyall Britomart Vntrue to God and vnto man vniust What vengeance due can equall thy desart That hast with shamefull spot of sinfull lust Defil'd the pledge committed to thy trust Let vgly shame and endlesse infamy Colour thy name with foule reproaches rust Yet thou false Squire his fault shalt deare aby And with thy punishment his penance shalt supply The aged Dame him seeing so enraged Was dead with feare nathlesse as neede required His flaming furie sought to haue assuaged With sober words that sufferance desired Till time the tryall of her truth expyred And euermore sought Britomart to cleare But he the more with furious rage was fyred And thrise his hand to kill her did vpreare And thrise he drew it backe so did at last forbeare Cant. II.
stricken beene He forced was to strike and saue him selfe from teene Yet from thenceforth more warily he fought As one in feare the Stygian gods t' offend Ne followd on so fast but rather sought Him selfe to saue and daunger to defend Then life and labour both in vaine to spend Which Triamond perceiuing weened sure He gan to faint toward the battels end And that he should not long on foote endure A signe which did to him the victorie assure Whereof full blith eftsoones his mightie hand He heav'd on high in mind with that same blow To make an end of all that did withstand Which Cambell seeing come was nothing slow Him selfe to saue from that so deadly throw And at that instant reaching forth his sweard Close vnderneath his shield that scarce did show Stroke him as he his hand to strike vpreard In th'arm-pit full that through both sides the wound appeard Yet still that direfull stroke kept on his way And falling heauie on Cambelloes crest Strooke him so hugely that in swowne he lay And in his head an hideous wound imprest And sure had it not happily found rest Vpon the brim of his brode plated shield It would haue cleft his braine downe to his brest So both at once fell dead vpon the field And each to other seemd the victorie to yield Which when as all the lookers on beheld They weened sure the warre was at an end And Iudges rose and Marshals of the field Broke vp the listes their armes away to rend And Canacee gan wayle her dearest frend All suddenly they both vpstarted light The one out of the swownd which him did blend The other breathing now another spright And fiercely each assayling gan afresh to fight Long while they then continued in that wize As if but then the battell had begonne Strokes wounds wards weapons all they did despise Ne either car'd to ward or perill shonne Desirous both to haue the battell donne Ne either cared life to saue or spill Ne which of them did winne ne which were wonne So wearie both of fighting had their fill That life it selfe seemd loathsome and long safetie ill Whilst thus the case in doubtfull ballance hong Vnsure to whether side it would incline And all mens eyes and hearts which there among Stood gazing filled were with rufull tine And secret feare to see their fatall fine All suddenly they heard a troublous noyes That seemd some perilous tumult to desine Confusd with womens cries and shouts of boyes Such as the troubled Theaters oftimes annoyes Thereat the Champions both stood still a space To weeten what that sudden clamour ment Lo where they spyde with speedie whirling pace One in a charet of straunge furniment Towards them driuing like a storme out sent The charet decked was in wondrous wize With gold and many a gorgeous ornament After the Persian Monarks antique guize Such as the maker selfe could best by art deuize And drawne it was that wonder is to tell Of two grim lyons taken from the wood In which their powre all others did excell Now made forget their former cruell mood T' obey their riders hest as seemed good And therein sate a Ladie passing faire And bright that seemed borne of Angels brood And with her beautie bountie did compare Whether of them in her should haue the greater share Thereto she learned was in Magicke leare And all the artes that subtill wits discouer Hauing therein bene trained many a yeare And well instructed by the Fay her mother That in the same she farre exceld all other Who vnderstanding by her mightie art Of th' euill plight in which her dearest brother Now stood came forth in hast to take his part And pacifie the strife which causd so deadly smart And as she passed through th'vnruly preace Of people thronging thicke her to behold Her angrie teame breaking their bonds of peace Great heapes of them like sheepe in narrow fold For hast did ouer-runne in dust enrould That thorough rude confusion of the rout Some fearing shriekt some being harmed hould Some laught for sport some did for wonder shout And some that would seeme wise their wonder turnd to dout In her right hand a rod of peace shee bore About the which two Serpents weren wound Entrayled mutually in louely lore And by the tailes together firmely bound And both were with one oliue garland crownd Like to the rod which Maias sonne doth wield Wherewith the hellishfiends he doth confound And in her other hand a cup she hild The which was with Nepenthe to the brim vpfild Nepenthe is a drinck of souerayne grace Deuized by the Gods for to asswage Harts grief and bitter gall away to chace Which stirs vp anguish and contentious rage In stead thereof sweet peace and quiet age It doth establish in the troubled mynd Few men but such as sober are and sage Are by the Gods to drinck thereof assynd But such as drinck eternall happinesse do fynd Such famous men such worthies of the earth As loue will haue aduaunced to the skie And there made gods though borne of mortall berth For their high merits and great dignitie Are wont before they may to heauen flie To drincke hereof whereby all cares forepast Are washt away quite from their memorie So did those olde Heroes hereof taste Before that they in blisse amongst the Gods were plaste Much more of price and of more gratious powre Is this then that same water of Ardenne The which Rinaldo drunck in happie howre Described by that famous Tuscane penne With whom he ledd a long and happie life And Cambel tooke Cambina to his fere The which as life were each to other liefe So all alike did loue and loued were That since their days such louers were not found elswere Cant. IIII. Satyrane makes a Turneyment For loue of Florimell Britomart winnes the prize from all And Artegall doth quell IT often fals as here it earst befell That mortall foes doe turne to faithfull frends And friends profest are chaungd to foemen fell The cause of both of both their minds depends And th' end of both likewise of both their ends For enmitie that of no ill proceeds But of occasion with th' occasion ends And friendship which a faint affection breeds Without regard of good dyes like ill grounded seeds That well me seemes appeares by that oflate Twixt Camhell and Sir Triamond befell As els by this that now a new debate Stird vp twixt Scudamour and Paridell The which by course befals me here to tell Who hauing those two other Knights espide Marching afore as ye remember well Sent forth their Squire to haue them both descride And eke those masked Ladies riding them beside Who backe returning told as he had seene That they were doughtie knights of dreaded name And those two Ladies their two loues vnseene And therefore wisht them without blot or blame To let them passe at will for dread of shame But Blandamour full of vainglorious spright And rather
such fell greedines he her assayled That though she mounted were yet he her made To giue him ground so much his force preuayled And shun his mightie strokes gainst which no armes auayled So as they coursed here and there it chaunst That in her wheeling round behind her crest So sorely he her strooke that thence it glaunst Adowne her backe the which it fairely blest From foule mischance ne did it euer rest Till on her horses hinder parts it fell Where byting deepe so deadly it imprest That quite it chynd his backe behind the sell And to alight on foote her algates did compell Like as the lightning brond from riuen skie Throwne out by angry Ioue in his vengeance With dreadfull force falles on some steeple hie Which battring downe it on the church doth glance And teares it all with terrible mischance Yet she no whit dismayd her steed forsooke And casting from her that enchaunted lance Vnto her sword and shield her soone betooke And therewithall at him right furiously she strooke So furiously she strooke in her first heat Whiles with long fight on foot he breathlesse was That she him forced backward to retreat And yeeld vnto her weapon way to pas Whose raging rigour neither steele nor bras Could stay but to the tender flesh it went And pour'd the purple bloud forth on the gras That all his mayle yriv'd and plates yrent Shew'd all his bodie bare vnto the cruell dent At length when as he saw her hastie heat Abate and panting breath begin to fayle He through long sufferāce growing now more great Rose in his strength and gan her fresh assayle Heaping huge strokes as thicke as showre of hayle And lashing dreadfully at euery part As if he thought her soule to disentrayle Ah cruell hand and thrise more cruell hart That workst such wrecke on her to whom thou dearest art What yron courage euer could endure To worke such outrage on so faire a creature And in his madnesse thinke with hands impure To spoyle so goodly workmanship of nature The maker selfe resembling in her feature Certes some hellish furie or some feend This mischiefe framd for their first loues defeature To bath their hands in bloud of dearest freend Thereby to make their loues beginning their lines end Thus long they trac'd and trauerst to and fro Sometimes pursewing and sometimes pursewed Still as aduantage they espyde thereto But toward th' end Sir Arthegall renewed His strength still more but she still more decrewed At last his lucklesse hand he heau'd on hie Hauing his forces all in one accrewed And therewith stroke at her so hideouslie That seemed nought but death mote be her destinie The wicked stroke vpon her helmet chaunst And with the force which in it selfe it bore Her ventayle shard away and thence forth glaunst A downe in vaine ne harm'd her any more With that her angels face vnseene afore Like to the ruddie morne appeard in sight Deawed with siluer drops through sweating sore But somewhat redder then beseem'd aright Through toylesome heate and labour of her weary fight And round about the same her yellow heare Hauing through stirring loosd their wonted band Like to a golden border did appeare Framed in goldsmithes forge with cunning hand Yet goldsmithes cunning could not vnderstand To frame such subtile wire so shinie cleare For it did glister like the golden sand The which Pactolus with his waters shere Throwes forth vpon the riuage round about him nere And as his hand he vp againe did reare Thinking to worke on her his vtmost wracke His powrelesse arme benumbd with secret feare From his reuengefull purpose shronke abacke And cruell sword out of his fingers slacke Fell downe to ground as if the steele had sence And felt some ruth or sence his hand did lacke Or both of them did thinke obedience To doe to so diuine a beauties excellence And he himselfe long gazing thereupon At last fell humbly downe vpon his knee And of his wonder made religion Weening some heauenly goddesse he did see Or else vnweeting what it else might bee And pardon her besought his errour frayle That had done outrage in so high degree Whilest trembling horrour did his sense assayle And made ech member quake and manly hart to quayle Nathelesse she full of wrath for that late stroke All that long while vpheld her wrathfull hand With fell intent on him to bene ywroke And looking sterne still ouer him did stand Threatning to strike vnlesse he would withstand And bad him rise or surely he should die But die or liue for nought he would vpstand But her of pardon prayd more earnestlie Or wreake on him her will for so great iniurie Which when as Scudamour who now abrayd Beheld whereas he stood not farre aside He was therewith right wondrously dismayd And drawing nigh when as he plaine descride That peerelesse paterne of Dame natures pride And heauenly image of perfection He blest himselfe as one sore terrifide And turning his feare to faint deuotion Did worship her as some celestiall vision But Glauce seeing all that chaunced there Well weeting how their errour to assoyle Full glad of so good end to them drew nere And her salewd with seemely belaccoyle Ioyous to see her safe after long toyle Then her besought as she to her was deare To graunt vnto those warriours truce a whyle Which yeelded they their beuers vp did reare And shew'd themselues to her such as indeed they were When Britomart with sharpe auizefull eye Beheld the louely face of Artegall Tempred with sternesse and stout maiestie She gan eftsoones it to her mind to call To be the same which in her fathers hall Long since in that enchaunted glasse she saw Therewith her wrathfull courage gan appall And haughtie spirits meekely to adaw That her enhaunced hand she downe can soft withdraw Yet she it forst to haue againe vpheld As fayning choler which was turn'd to cold But euer when his visage she beheld Her hand fell downe and would no longer hold The wrathfull weapon gainst his countnance bold But when in vaine to fight she oft assayd She arm'd her tongue and thought at him to scold Nathlesse her tongue not to her will obayd But brought forth speeches myld when she would haue missayd But Scudamour now woxen inly glad That all his gealous feare he false had found And how that Hag his loue abused had With breach of faith and loyaltie vnsound The which long time his grieued hart did wound Her thus bespake certes Sir Artegall I ioy to see you lout so low on ground And now become to liue a Ladies thrall That whylome in your minde wont to despise them all Soone as she heard the name of Artegall Her hart did leape and all her hart-strings tremble For sudden ioy and secret feare withall And all her vitall powres with motion nimble To succour it themselues gan there assemble That by the swift recourse of flushing blood Right plaine appeard though she
beget True loue and faithfull friendship she by her did set Backe to that desert forrest they retyred Where sorie Britomart had lost her late There they her sought and euery where inquired Where they might tydings get of her estate Yet found they none But by what haplesse fate Or hard misfortune she was thence conuayd And stolne away from her beloued mate Were long to tell therefore I here will stay Vntill another tyde that I it finish may Cant. VII Amoret rapt by greedie lust Belphebe saues from dread The Squire her loues and being blam'd his dayes in dole doth lead GReat God of loue that with thy cruell dart Doest conquer greatest conquerors on ground And setst thy kingdome in the captiue harts Of Kings and Keasars to thy seruice bound What glorie or what guerdon hast thou found In feeble Ladies tyranning so sore And adding anguish to the bitter wound With which their liues thou lanchedst long afore By heaping stormes of trouble on them daily more So whylome didst thou to faire Florimell And so and so to noble Britomart So doest thou now to her of whom I tell The louely Amoret whose gentle hart Thou martyrest with sorow and with smart In saluage forrests and in deserts wide With Beares and Tygers taking heauie part Withouten comfort and withouten guide That pittie is to heare the perils which she tride So soone as she with that braue Britonesse Had left that Turneyment for beauties prise They trauel'd long that now for wearinesse Both of the way and warlike exercise Both through a forest ryding did deuise T' alight and rest their wearie limbs awhile There heauie sleepe the eye-lids did surprise Of Britomart after long tedious toyle That did her passed paines in quiet rest assoyle The whiles faire Amoret of nought affeard Walkt through the wood for pleasure or for need When suddenly behind her backe she heard One rushing forth out of the thickest weed That ere she backe could turne to taken heed Had vnawares her snatched vp from ground Feebly she shriekt but so feebly indeed That Britomart heard not the shrilling sound There where through weary trauel she lay sleeping soūd It was to weet a wilde and saluage man Yet was no man but onely like in shape And eke in stature higher by a span All ouer growne with haire that could awhape An hardy hart and his wide mouth did gape With huge great teeth like to a Bore For he liu'd all on rauin and on rape Of men and beasts and fed on fleshly gore The signe whereof yet stain'd his bloudy lips afore His neather lip was not like man nor beast But like a wide deepe poke downe hanging low In which he wont the relickes of his feast And cruell spoyle which he had spard to stow And ouer it his huge great nose did grow Full dreadfully empurpled all with bloud And downe both sides two wide long eares did glow And raught downe to his waste when vp he stood More great then th' eares of Elephants by Indus flood His wast was with a wreath of yuie greene Engirt about ne other garment wore For all his haire was like a garment seene And in his hand a tall young oake he bore Whose knottie snags were sharpned all afore And beath'd in fire for steele to be in sted But whence he was or of what wombe ybore Of beasts or of the earth I haue not red But certes was with milke of Wolues and Tygres fed This vgly creature in his armes her snatcht And through the forrest bore her quite away With briers and bushes all to rent and scratcht Ne care he had ne pittie of the pray Which many a knight had sought so many a day He stayed not but in his armes her bearing Ran till he came to th' end of all his way Vnto his caue farre from all peoples hearing And there he threw her in nought feeling ne nought fearing For she deare Ladie all the way was dead Whilest he in armes her bore but when she felt Her selfe downe soust she waked out of dread Streight into griefe that her deare hart nigh swelt And eft gan into tender teares to melt Then when she lookt about and nothing found But darknesse and dread horrour where she dwelt She almost fell againe into a swound Ne wist whether aboue she were or vnder ground With that she heard some one close by her side Sighing and sobbing sore as if the paine Her tender hart in peeces would diuide Which she long listning softly askt againe What mister wight it was that so did plaine To whom thus aunswer'd was Ah wretched wight That seekes to know anothers griefe in vaine Vnweeting of thine owne like haplesse plight Selfe to forget to mind another is ouersight Aye me said she where am I or with whom Emong the liuing or emong the dead What shall of me vnhappy maid become Shall death be th' end or ought else worse aread Vnhappy mayd then answerd she whose dread Vntride is lesse then when thou shalt it try Death is to him that wretched life doth lead Both grace and gaine but he in hell doth lie That liues a loathed life and wishing cannot die This dismall day hath thee a caytiue made And vassall to the vilest wretch aliue Whose cursed vsage and vngodly trade The heauens abhorre and into darkenesse driue For on the spoile of women he doth liue Whose bodies chast when euer in his powre He may them catch vnable to gainestriue He with his shamefull lust doth first deflowre And afterwards themselues doth cruelly deuoure Now twenty daies by which the sonnes of men Diuide their works haue past through heuen sheene Since I was brought into this dolefull den During which space these sory eies haue seen Seauen women by him slaine and eaten clene And now no more for him but I alone And this old woman here remaining beene Till thou cam'st hither to augment our mone And of vs three to morrow he will sure eate one Ah dreadfull tidings which thou doest declare Quoth she of all that euer hath bene knowen Full many great calamities and rare This feeble brest endured hath but none Equall to this where euer I haue gone But what are you whom like vnlucky lot Hath linckt with me in the same chaine attone To tell quoth she that which ye see needs not A wofull wretched maid of God and man forgot But what I was it irkes me to reherse Daughter vnto a Lord of high degree That ioyd in happy peace till fates peruerse With guilefull loue did secretly agree To ouerthrow my state and dignitie It was my lot to loue a gentle swaine Yet was he but a Squire of low degree Yet was he meet vnlesse mine eye did faine By any Ladies side for Leman to haue laine But for his meannesse and disparagement My Sire who me too dearely well did loue Vnto my choise by no meanes would assent But often did my folly fowle reproue Yet nothing could my fixed mind
remoue But whether willed or nilled friend or foe I me resolu'd the vtmost end to proue And rather then my loue abandon so Both sire and friends and all for euer to forgo Thenceforth I sought by secret meanes to worke Time to my will and from his wrathfull sight To hide th' intent which in my heart did lurke Till I thereto had all things ready dight So on a day vnweeting vnto wight I with that Squire agreede away to flit And in a priuy place betwixt vs hight Within a groue appointed him to meete To which I boldly came vpon my feeble feete But ah vnhappy houre me thither brought For in that place where I him thought to find There was I found contrary to my thought Of this accursed Carle of hellish kind The shame of men and plague of womankind Who trussing me as Eagle doth his pray Me hether brought with him as swift as wind Where yet vntouched till this present day I rest his wretched thrall the sad AEmylia Ah sad AEmylia then sayd Amoret Thy ruefull plight I pitty as mine owne But read to me by what deuise or wit Hast thou in all this time from him vnknowne Thine honor sau'd though into thraldome throwne Through helpe quoth she of this old woman here I haue so done as she to me hath showne For euer when he burnt in lustfull fire She in my stead supplide his bestiall desire Thus of their euils as they did discourse And each did other much bewaile and mone Loe where the villaine selfe their sorrowes sourse Came to the caue and rolling thence the stone Which wont to stop the mouth thereof that none Might issue forth came rudely rushing in And spredding ouer all the flore alone Gan dight him selfe vnto his wonted sinne Which ended then his bloudy banket should beginne Which when as fearefull Amoret perceiued She staid not the vtmost end thereof to try But like a ghastly Gelt whose wits are reaued Ran forth in hast with hideous outcry For horrour of his shamefull villany But after her full lightly he vprose And her pursu'd as fast as she did flie Full fast she flies and farre afore him goes Ne feeles the thorns and thickets pricke her tender toes Nor hedge nor ditch nor hill nor dale she staies But ouerleapes them all like Robucke light And through the thickest makes her nighest waies And euermore when with regardfull sight She looking backe espies that griesly wight Approching nigh she gins to mend her pace And makes her feare a spur to hast her flight More swift then Myrrh ' or Daphne in her race Or any of the Thracian Nimphes in saluage chase Long so she fled and so he follow'd long Ne liuing aide for her on earth appeares But if the heauens helpe to redresse her wrong Moued with pity of her plenteous teares It fortuned Belphebe with her peares The woody Nimphs and with that louely boy Was hunting then the Libbards and the Beares In these wild woods as was her wonted ioy To banish sloth that oft doth noble mindes annoy It so befell as oft it fals in chace That each of them from other sundred were And that same gentle Squire arriu'd in place Where this same cursed caytiue did appeare Pursuing that faire Lady full of feare And now he her quite ouertaken had And now he her away with him did beare Vnder his arme as seeming wondrous glad That by his grenning laughter mote farre off be rad With drery sight the gentle Squire espying Doth hast to crosse him by the nearest way Led with that wofull Ladies piteous crying And him assailes with all the might he may Yet will not he the louely spoile downe lay But with his craggy club in his right hand Defends him selfe and saues his gotten pray Yet had it bene right hard him to withstand But that he was full light and nimble on the land Thereto the villaine vsed craft in fight For euer when the Squire his iauelin shooke He held the Lady forth before him right And with her body as a buckler broke The puissance of his intended stroke And if it chaunst as needs it must in fight Whilest he on him was greedy to be wroke That any little blow on her did light Then would he laugh aloud and gather great delight Which subtill sleight did him encumber much And made him oft when he would strike forbeare For hardly could he come the carle to touch But that he her must hurt or hazard neare Yet he his hand so carefully did beare That at the last he did himselfe attaine And therein left the pike head of his speare A streame of coleblacke bloud thence gusht amaine That all her silken garments did with bloud bestaine With that he threw her rudely on the flore And laying both his hands vpon his glaue With dreadfull strokes let driue at him so sore That forst him flie abacke himselfe to saue Yet he therewith so felly still did raue That scarse the Squire his hand could once vpreare But for aduantage ground vnto him gaue Tracing and trauersing now here now there For bootlesse thing it was to think such blowes to beare Whilest thus in battell they embusied were Belphebe raunging in that forrest wide The hideous noise of their huge strokes did heare And drew thereto making her eare her guide Whom when that theefe approching nigh espide With bow in hand and arrowes ready bent He by his former combate would not bide But fled away with ghastly dreriment Well knowing her to be his deaths sole instrument Whom seeing flie she speedily poursewed With winged feete as nimble as the winde And euer in her bow she ready shewed The arrow to his deadly marke desynde As when Latonaes daughter cruell kynde In vengement of her mothers great disgrace With fell despight her cruell arrowes tynde Gainst wofull Niobes vnhappy race That all the gods did mone her miserable case So well she sped her and so far she ventred That ere vnto his hellish den he raught Euen as he ready was there to haue entred She sent an arrow forth with mighty draught That in the very dore him ouercaught And in his nape arriuing through it thrild His greedy throte therewith in two distraught That all his vitall spirites thereby spild And all his hairy brest with gory bloud was fild Whom when on ground she groueling saw to rowle She ran in hast his life to haue berest But ere she could him reach the sinfull sowle Hauing his carrion corse quite sencelesse left Was fled to hell surcharg'd with spoile and theft Yet ouer him she there long gazing stood And oft admir'd his monstrous shape and oft His mighty limbs whilest all with filthy bloud The place there ouerflowne seemd like a sodaine flood Thenceforth she past into his dreadfull den Where nought but darkesome drerinesse she found Ne creature saw but hearkned now and then Some litle whispering and soft groning sound With that she askt what ghosts there vnder ground
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
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
hee Bursting forth teares like springs out of a banke That euer I this dismall day did see Full farre was I from thinking such a pranke Yet litle losse it were and mickle thanke If I should graunt that I haue doen the same That I mote drinke the cup whereof she dranke But that I should die guiltie of the blame The which another did who now is fled with shame Who was it then sayd Artegall that wrought And why doe it declare vnto me trew A knight said he if knight he may be thought That did his hand in Ladies bloud embrew And for no cause but as I shall you shew This day as I in solace sate hereby With a fayre loue whose losse I now do rew There came this knight hauing in companie This lucklesse Ladie which now here doth headlesse lie He whether mine seem'd fayrer in his eye Or that he wexed weary of his owne Would change with me but I did it denye So did the Ladies both as may be knowne But he whose spirit was with pride vpblowne Would not so rest contented with his right But hauing from his courser her downe throwne Fro me rest mine away by lawlesse might And on his steed her set to beare her out of sight Which when his Ladie saw she follow'd fast And on him catching hold gan loud to crie Not so to leaue her nor away to cast But rather of his hand besought to die With that his sword he drew all wrathfully And at one stroke cropt off her head with scorne In that same place whereas it now doth lie So he my loue away with him hath borne And left me here both his mine owne loue to morne Aread sayd he which way then did he make And by what markes may he be knowne againe To hope quoth he him soone to ouertake That hence so long departed is but vaine But yet he pricked ouer yonder plaine And as I marked bore vpon his shield By which it's easie him to know againe A broken sword within a bloodie field Expressing well his nature which the same did wield No sooner sayd but streight he after sent His yron page who him pursew'd so light As that it seem'd aboue the ground he went For he was swift as swallow in her flight And strong as Eyon in his Lordly might It was not long before he ouertooke Sir Sanglier so cleeped was that Knight Whom at the first he ghessed by his looke And by the other markes which of his shield he tooke He bad him stay and backe with him retire Who full of scorne to be commaunded so The Lady to alight did est require Whilest he reformed that vnciuill so And streight at him with all his force did go Who mou'd no more therewith then when a rocke Is lightly stricken with some stones throw But to him leaping lent him such a knocke That on the ground he layd him like a sencelesse blocke But ere he could him selfe recure againe Him in his iron paw he seized had That when he wak't out of his warelesse paine He found him selfe vnwist so ill bestad That lim he could not wag Thence he him lad bound like a beast appointed to the stall The sight whereof the Lady sore adrad And fain'd to fly for feare of being thrall But he her quickly stayd and forst to wend withall When to the place they came where Artegall By that same carefull Squire did then abide He gently gan him to demaund of all That did betwixt him and that Squire betide Who with sterne countenance and indignant pride Did aunswer that of all he guiltlesse stood And his accuser thereuppon defide For neither he did shed that Ladies bloud Nor tooke away his loue but his owne proper good Well did the Squire perceiue him selfe too weake To aunswere his defiaunce in the field And rather chose his challenge off to breake Then to approue his right with speare and shield And rather guilty chose him selfe to yield But Artegall by signes perceiuing plaine That he it was not which that Lady kild But that strange Knight the fairer loue to gaine Did cast about by sleight the truth thereout to straine And sayd now sure this doubtfull causes right Can hardly but by Sacrament be tride Or else by ordele or by blooddy fight That ill perhaps mote fall to either side But if ye please that I your cause decide Perhaps I may all further quarrell end So ye will sweare my iudgement to abide Thereto they both did franckly condiscend And to his doome with listfull eares did both attend Sith then sayd he ye both the dead deny And both the liuing Lady claime your right Let both the dead and liuing equally Deuided be betwixt you here in sight And each of either take his share aright But looke who does dissent from this my read He for a twelue moneths day shall in despight Beare for his penaunce that same Ladies head To witnesse to the world that she by him is dead Well pleased with that doome was Sangliere And offred streight the Lady to be slaine But that same Squire to whom she was more dere When as he saw she should be cut in twaine Did yield she rather should with him remaine Aliue then to him selfe be shared dead And rather then his loue should suffer paine He chose with shame to beare that Ladies head True loue despiseth shame when life is cald in dread Whom when so willing Artegall perceaued Not so thou Squire he sayd but thine I deeme The liuing Lady which from thee he reaued For worthy thou of her doest rightly seeme And you Sir Knight that loue so light esteeme As that ye would for little leaue the same Take here your owne that doth you best beseeme And with it beare the burden of defame Your owne dead Ladies head to tell abrode your shame But Sangliere disdained much his doome And sternly gan repine at his beheast Ne would for ought obay as did become To beare that Ladies head before his breast Vntill that Talus had his pride represt And forced him maulgre it vp to reare Who when he saw it bootelesse to resist He tooke it vp and thence with him did beare As rated Spaniell takes his burden vp for feare Much did that Squire Sir Artegall adore For his great iustice held in high regard And as his Squire him offred euermore To serue for want of other meete reward And wend with him on his adueuture hard But he thereto would by no meanes consent But leauing him forth on his iourney far'd Ne wight with him but onely Talus went They two enough t' encounter an whole Regiment Cant. II. Artegall heares of Florimell Does with the Pagan fight Him slaies drownes Lady Momera Does race her castle quight NOught is more honorable to a knight Ne better doth beseeme braue cheualry Then to defend the feeble in their right And wrong redresse in such as wend awry Whilome those great Heroes got thereby Their greatest glory
dart And gan thenceforth to cast affection Conceiued close in her beguiled hart To Artegall through pittie of his causelesse smart Yet durst she nop disclose her fancies wound Ne to himselfe for doubt of being sdayned Ne yet to any other wight on ground For feare her mistresse shold haue knowledge gayned But to her selfe it secretly retayned Within the closet of her couert brest The more thereby her tender hart was payned Yet to awayt fit time she weened best And fairely did dissemble her sad thoughts vnrest One day her Ladie calling her apart Can to demaund of her some tydings good Touching her loues successe her lingring smart Therewith she gan at first to change her mood As one adaw'd and halfe confused stood But quickly she it ouerpast so soone As she her face had wypt to fresh her blood Tho gan she tell her all that she had donne And all the wayes she sought his loue for to haue wonne But sayd that he was obstinate and sterne Scorning her offers and conditions vaine Ne would be taught withany termes to lerne So fond a lesson as to loue againe Die rather would he in penurious paine And his abridged dayes in dolour wast Then his foes loue or liking entertaine His resolution was both first and last His bodie was her thrall his hart was freely plast Which when the cruell Amazon perceiued She gan to storme and rage and rend her gall For very fell despight which she conceiued To be so scorned of a base borne thrall Whose life did lie in her least eye-lids fall Of which she vow'd with many a cursed threat That she therefore would him ere long forstall Nathlesse when calmed was her furious heat She chang'd that threatfull mood mildly gan entreat What now is left Clarinda what remaines That we may compasse this our enterprize Great shame to lose so long employed paines And greater shame t' abide so great misprize With which he dares our offers thus despize Yet that his guilt the greater may appeare And more my gratious mercie by this wize I will a while with his first folly beare Till thou haue tride againe tempted him more neare Say and do all that may thereto preuaile Leaue nought vnpromist that may him perswade Life freedome grace and gifts of great auaile With which the Gods themselues are mylder made Thereto adde art euen womens witty trade The art of mightie words that men can charme With which in case thou canst him not inuade Let him feele hardnesse of thy heauie arme Who will not stoupe with good shall be made stoupe with harme Some of his diet doe from him withdraw For I him find to be too proudly fed Giue him more labour and with streighter law That he with worke may be forwearied Let him lodge hard and lie in strawen bed That may pull downe the courage of his pride And lay vpon him for his greater dread Cold yron chaines with which let him be tide And let what euer he desires be him denide When thou hast all this doen then bring me newes Of his demeane thenceforth notlike a louer But like a rebell stout I will him vse For I resolue this siege not to giue ouer Till I the conquest of my will recouer So she departed full of griefe and sdaine Which inly did to great impatience moue her But the false mayden shortly turn'd againe Vnto the prison where her hart did thrall remaine There all her subtill nets she did vnfold And all the engins of her wit display In which she meant him warelesse to enfold And of his innocence to make her pray So cunnningly she wrought her crafts assay That both her Ladie and her selfe withall And eke the knight attonce she did betray But most the knight whom she with guilefull call Did cast for to allure into her trap to fall As a bad Nurse which fayning to receiue In her owne mouth the food ment for her chyld Withholdes it to her selfe and doeth deceiue The infant so for want of nourture spoyld Euen so Clarinda her owne Dame beguyld And turn'd the trust which was in her affyde To feeding of her priuate fire which boyld Her inward brest and in her entrayles fryde The more that she it sought to couer and to hyde For comming to this knight she purpose fayned How earnest suit she earst for him had made Vnto her Queene his freedome to haue gayned But by no meanes could her thereto perswade But that in stead thereof she sternely bade His miserie to be augmented more And many yron bands on him to lade All which nathlesse she for his loue forbore So praying him t' accept her seruice euermore And more then that she promist that she would In case she might finde fauour in his eye Deuize how to enlarge him out of hould The Fayrie glad to gaine his libertie Can yeeld great thankes for such her curtesie And with faire words fit for the time and place To feede the humour of her maladie Promist if she would free him from that case He wold by all good means he might deserue such grace So daily he faire semblant did her shew Yet neuer meant he in his noble mind To his owne absent loue to be vntrew Ne euer did deceiptfull Clarin find In her false hart his bondage to vnbind But rather how she mote him faster tye Therefore vnto her mistresse most vnkind She daily told her loue he did defye And him she told her Dame his freedome did denye Yet thus much friendship she to him did show That his scarse diet somewhat was amended And his worke lessened that his loue mote grow Yet to her Dame him still she discommended That she with him mote be the more offended Thus he long while in thraldome there remayned Of both beloued well but litle frended Vntill his owne true loue his freedome gayned Which in an other Canto will be best contayned Cant. VI. Talus brings newes to Britomart of Artegals mishap She goes to seeke him Dolon meetes who seekes her to entrap SOme men I wote will deeme in Artegall Great weaknesse and report of him much ill For yeelding so himselfe a wretched thrall To th' insolent commaund of womens will That all his former praise doth fowly spill But he the man that say or doe so dare Be well aduiz'd that he stand stedfast still For neuer yet was wight so well aware But he at first or last was trapt in womens snare Yet in the streightnesse of that captiue state This gentle knight himselfe so well behaued That notwithstanding all the subtill bait With which those Amazons his loue still craued To his owne loue his loialtie he saued Whose character in th'Adamantine mould Of his true hart so firmely was engraued That no new loues impression euer could Bereaue it thence such blot his honour blemish should Yet his owne loue the noble Britomart Scarse so conceiued in her iealous thought What time sad tydings of his balefull smart In womans bondage
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
mile Came to the place whereas ye heard afore This knight whom Tristram slew had wounded sore Another knight in his despiteous pryde There he that knight found lying on the flore With many wounds full perilous and wyde That all his garments and the grasse in vermeill dyde And there beside him sate vpon the ground His wofull Ladie piteously complayning With loud laments that most vnluckie stound And her sad selfe with carefull hand constrayning To wype his wounds and ease their bitter payning Which sorie sight when Calidore did vew With heauie eyne from teares vneath refrayning His mightie hart their mournefull case can rew And for their better comfort to them nigher drew Then speaking to the Ladie thus he sayd Ye dolefull Dame let not your griefe empeach To tell what cruell hand hath thus arayd This knight vnarm'd with so vnknightly breach Of armes that if I yet him nigh may reach I may auenge him of so foule despight The Ladie hearing his so courteous speach Gan reare her eyes as to the chearefull light And from her sory hart few heauie words forth sight In which she shew'd how that discourteous knight Whom Tristram slew them in that shadow found Ioying together in vnblam'd delight And him vnarm'd as now he lay on ground Charg'd with his speare and mortally did wound Withouten cause but onely her to reaue From him to whom she was for euer bound Yet when she fled into that couert greaue He her not finding both them thus nigh dead did leaue When Calidore this ruefull storie had Well vnderstood he gan of her demand What manner wight he was and how yclad Which had this outrage wrought with wicked hand She then like as she best could vnderstand Him thus describ'd to be of stature large Clad all in gilden armes with azure band Quartred athwart and bearing in his targe A Ladie on rough waues row'd in a sommer barge Then gan Sir Calidore to ghesse streight way By many signes which she described had That this was he whom Tristram earst did slay And to her said Dame be no longer sad For he that hath your Knight so ill bestad Is now him selfe in much more wretched plight These eyes him saw vpon the cold earth sprad The meede of his desert for that despight Which to your selfe he wrought to your loued knight Therefore faire Lady lay aside this griefe Which ye haue gathered to your gentle hart For that displeasure and thinke what reliefe Were best deuise for this your louers smart And how ye may him hence and to what part Conuay to be recur'd She thankt him deare Both for that newes he did to her impart And for the courteous care which he did beare Both to her loue and to her selfe in that sad dreare Yet could she not deuise by any wit How thence she might conuay him to some place For him to trouble she it thought vnfit That was a straunger to her wretched case And him to beare she thought it thing too base Which when as he perceiu'd he thus bespake Faire Lady let it not you seeme disgrace To beare this burden on your dainty backe My selfe will beare a part coportion of your packe So off he did his shield and downeward layd Vpon the ground like to an hollow beare And powring balme which he had long puruayd Into his wounds him vp thereon did reare And twixt them both with parted paines did beare Twixt life and death not knowing what was donne Thence they him carried to a Castle neare In which a worthy auncient Knight did wonne Where what ensu'd shall in next Canto be begonne Cant. III. Calidore brings Priscilla home Pursues the Blatant Beast Saues Serena whilest Calepine By Turpine is opprest TRue is that whiLome that good Poet sayd The gentle minde by gentle deeds is knowne For a man by nothing is so well bewrayd As by his manners in which plaine is showne Of what degree and what race he is growne For seldome seene a trotting Stalion get An ambling Colt that is his proper owne So seldome seene that one in basenesse set Doth noble courage shew with curteous manners met But euermore contrary hath bene tryde That gentle bloud will gentle manners breed As well may be in Calidore descryde By late ensample of that courteous deed Done to that wounded Knight in his great need Whom on his backe he bore till he him brought Vnto the Castle where they had decreed There of the Knight the which that Castle ought To make abode that night he greatly was besought He was to weete a man of full ripe yeares That in his youth had beene of mickle might And borne great sway in armes amongst his peares But now weake age had dimd his candle light Yet was he courteous still to euery wight And loued all that did to armes incline And was the father of that wounded Knight Whom Calidore thus carried on his chine And Aldus was his name and his sonnes Aladine Who when he saw his sonne so ill bedight With bleeding wounds brought home vpon a Beare By a faire Lady and a straunger Knight Was inly touched with compassion deare And deare affection of so dolefull dreare That he these words burst forth Ah sory boy Is this the hope that to my hoary heare Thou brings aie me is this the timely ioy Which I expected long now turnd to sad annoy Such is the weakenesse of all mortall hope So tickle is the state of earthly things That ere they come vnto their aymed scope They fall too short of our fraile reckonings And bring vs bale and bitter sorrowings In stead of comfort which we should embrace This is the state of Keasars and of Kings Let none therefore that is in meaner place Too greatly grieue at any his vnlucky case So well and wisely did that good old Knight Temper his griefe and turned it to cheare To cheare his guests whom he had stayd that night And make their welcome to them well appeare That to Sir Calidore was easie geare But that faire Lady would be cheard for nought But sigh'd and sorrow'd for her louer deare And inly did afflict her pensiue thought With thinking to what case her name should now be brought For she was daughter to a noble Lord Which dwelt thereby who sought her to affy To a great pere but she did disaccord Ne could her liking to his loue apply But lou'd this fresh young Knight who dwelt her ny The lusty Aladine though meaner borne And of lesse liuelood and hability Yet full of valour the which did adorne His meanesse much make her th'others riches scorne So hauing both found fit occasion They met together in that luckelesse glade Where that proud Knight in his presumption The gentle Aladine did earst inuade Being vnarm'd and set in secret shade Whereof she now bethinking gan t'aduize How great a hazard she at earst had made Of her good fame and further gan deuize How she the blame might salue with
coloured disguize But Calidore with all good courtesie Fain'd her to frolicke and to put away The pensiue fit of her melancholie And that old Knight by all meanes did assay To make them both as merry as he may So they the euening past till time of rest When Calidore in seemly good array Vnto his bowre was brought and there vndrest Did sleepe all night through weary trauell of his quest But faire Priscilla so that Lady hight Would to no bed nor take no kindely sleepe But by her wounded loue did watch all night And all the night for bitter anguish weepe And with her teares his wounds did wash and steepe So well she washt them and so well she wacht him That of the deadly swound in which full deepe He drenched was she at the length dispacht him And droue away the stound which mortally attacht him The morrow next when day gan to vplooke He also gan vplooke with drery eye Like one that out of deadly dreame awooke Where when he saw his faire Priscilla by He deepely sigh'd and groaned inwardly To thinke of this ill state in which she stood To which she for his sake had weetingly Now brought her selfe and blam'd her noble blood For first next after life he tendered her good Which she perceiuing did with plenteous teares His care more then her owne compassionate Forgetfull of her owne to minde his feares So both conspiring gan to intimate Each others griefe with zeale affectionate And twixt them twaine with equall care to cast How to saue hole her hazarded estate For which the onely helpe now left them last Seem'd to be Calidore all other helpes were past Him they did deeme as sure to them he seemed A courteous Knight and full of faithfull trust Therefore to him their cause they best esteemed Whole to commit and to his dealing iust Earely so soone as Titans beames forth brust Through the thicke clouds in which they steeped lay All night in darkenesse duld with yron rust Calidore rising vp as fresh as day Gan freshly him addresse vnto his former way But first him seemed fit that wounded Knight To visite after this nights perillous passe And to salute him if he were in plight And eke that Lady his faire louely lasse There he him found much better then he was And moued speach to him of things of course The anguish of his paine to ouerpasse Mongst which he namely did to him discourse Of former daies mishap his sorrowes wicked sourse Of which occasion Aldine taking hold Gan breake to him the fortunes of his loue And all his disaduentures to vnfold That Calidore it dearly deepe did moue In th' end his kyndly courtesie to proue He him by all the bands of loue besought And as it mote a faithfull friend behoue To safeconduct his loue and not for ought To leaue till to her fathers house he had her brought Sir Calidore his faith thereto did plight It to performe so after little stay That she her selfe had to the iourney dight He passed forth with her in faire array Fearelesse who ought did thinke or ought did say Sith his own thought he knew most cleare from wite So as they past together on their way He can deuize this counter-cast of slight To giue faire colour to that Ladies cause in sight Streight to the carkasse of that Knight he went The cause of all this euill who was slaine The day before by iust auengement Of noble Tristram where it did remaine There he the necke thereof did cut in twaine And tooke with him the head the signe of shame So forth he passed thorough that daies paine Till to that Ladies fathers house he came Most pensiue man through feare what of his childe became There he arriuing boldly did present The fearefull Lady to her father deare Most perfect pure and guiltlesse innocent Of blame as he did on his Knighthood sweare Since first he saw her and did free from feare Of a discourteous Knight who her had reft And by outragious force away did beare Witnesse thereof he shew'd his head there left And wretched life forlorne for vengement of his theft Most ioyfull man her sire was her to see And heare th' aduenture of her late mischaunce And thousand thankes to Calidore for fee Of his large paines in her deliueraunce Did yeeld Ne lesse the Lady did aduaunce Thus hauing her restored trustily As he had vow'd some small continuaunce He there did make and then most carefully Vnto his first exploite he did him selfe apply So as he was pursuing of his quest He chaunst to come whereas a iolly Knight In couert shade him selfe did safely rest To solace with his Lady in delight His warlike armes he had from him vndight For that him selfe he thought from daunger free And far from enuious eyes that mote him spight And eke the Lady was full faire to see And courteous withall becomming her degree To whom Sir Calidore approaching nye Ere they were well aware of liuing wight Them much abasht but more him selfe thereby That he so rudely did vppon them light And troubled had their quiet loues delight Yet since it was his fortune not his fault Him selfe thereof he labour'd to acquite And pardon crau'd for his so rash default That he gainst courtesie so fowly did default With which his gentle words and goodly wit He soone allayd that Knights conceiu'd displeasure That he besought him downe by him to sit That they mote treat of things abrode at leasure And of aduentures which had in his measure Of so long waies to him befallen late So downe he sate and with delightfull pleasure His long aduentures gan to him relate Which he endured had through daungerous debate Of which whilest they discoursed both together The faire Serena so his Lady hight Allur'd with myldnesse of the gentle wether And pleasaunce of the place the which was dight With diuers flowres distinct with rare delight Wandred about the fields as liking led Her wauering lust after her wandring sight To make a garland to adorne her hed Without suspect of ill or daungers hidden dred All sodainely out of the forrest nere The Blatant Beast forth rushing vnaware Caught her thus loosely wandring here and there And in his wide great mouth away her bare Crying aloud in vaine to shew her sad misfare Vnto the Knights and calling oft for ayde Who with the horrour of her haplesse care Hastily starting vp like men dismayde Ran after fast to reskue the distressed mayde The Beast with their pursuit incited more Into the wood was bearing her apace For to haue spoyled her when Calidore Who was more light of foote and swift in chace Him ouertooke in middest of his race And fiercely charging him with all his might Forst to forgoe his pray there in the place And to betake him selfe to fearefull flight For he durst not abide with Calidore to fight Who nathelesse when he the Lady saw There left on ground though in full euill
wynd And by good fortune the plaine champion wonne Where looking all about where he mote fynd Some place of succour to content his mynd At length he heard vnder the forrests syde A voice that seemed of some woman kynd Which to her selfe lamenting loudly cryde And oft complayn'd of fate and fortune oft defyde To whom approching when as she perceiued A stranger wight in place her plaint she stayd As if she doubted to haue bene deceiued Or loth to let her sorrowes be bewrayd Whom when as Calepine saw so dismayd He to her drew and with faire blandishment Her chearing vp thus gently to her sayd What be you wofull Dame which thus lament And for what cause declare so mote ye not repent To whom she thus what need me Sir to tell That which your selfe haue earst ared so right A wofull dame ye haue me termed well So much more wofull as my wofull plight Cannot redressed be by liuing wight Nathlesse quoth he if need doe not you bynd Doe it disclose to ease your grieued spright Oftimes it haps that sorrowes of the mynd Find remedie vnsought which seeking cannot fynd Then thus began the lamentable Dame Sith then ye needs will know the griefe I hoord I am th' vnfortunate Matilde by name The wife of bold Sir Bruin who is Lord Of all this land late conquer'd by his sword From a great Gyant called Cormoraunt Whom he did ouerthrow by yonder foord And in three battailes did so deadly daunt That he dare not returne for all his daily vaunt So is my Lord now seiz'd of all the land As in his fee with peaceable estate And quietly doth hold it in his hand Ne any dares with him for it debate But to these happie fortunes cruell fate Hath ioyn'd one euill which doth ouerthow All these our ioyes and all our blisse abate And like in time to further ill to grow And all this land with endlesse losse to ouerflow For th' heauens enuying our prosperitie Haue not vouchsaft to graunt vnto vs twaine The gladfull blessing of posteritie Which we might see after our selues remaine In th'heritage of our vnhappie paine So that for want of heires it to defend All is in time like to returne againe To that foule feend who dayly doth attend To leape into the same after our liues end But most my Lord is grieued herewithall And makes exceeding mone when he does thinke That all this land vnto his foe shall fall For which he long in vaine did sweat and swinke That now the same he greatly doth forthinke Yet was it sayd there should to him a sonne Be gotten not begotten which should drinke And dry vp all the water which doth ronne In the next brooke by whō that feend shold be fordonne Well hop't he then when this was propheside That from his sides some noble chyld should rize The which through fame should farre be magnifide And this proud gyant should with braue emprize Quite ouerthrow who now ginnes to despize The good Sir Bruin growing farre in yeares Who thinkes from me his sorrow all doth rize Lo this my cause of griefe to you appeares For which I thus doe mourne and poure forth ceaselesse teares Which when he heard he inly touched was With tender ruth for her vnworthy griefe And when he had deuized of her case He gan in mind conceiue a fit reliefe For all her paine if please her make the priefe And hauing cheared her thus said faire Dame In euils counsell is the comfort chiefe Which though I be not wise enough to frame Yet as I well it meane vouchsafe it without blame If that the cause of this your languishment Be lacke of children to supply your place Low how good fortune doth to you present This litle babe of sweete and louely face And spotlesse spirit in which ye may enchace What euer formes ye list thereto apply Being now soft and fit them to embrace Whether ye list him traine in cheualry Or noursle vp in lore of learn'd Philosophy And certes it hath oftentimes bene seene That of the like whose linage was vnknowne More braue and noble knights haue raysed beene As their victorious deedes haue often showen Being with fame through many Nations blowen Then those which haue bene dandled in the lap Therefore some thought that those braue imps were sowen Here by the Gods and fed with heauenly sap That made them grow so high t' all honorable hap The Ladie hearkning to his sensefull speach Found nothing that he said vnmeet nor geason Hauing oft seene it tryde as he did teach Therefore inclyning to his goodly reason Agreeing well both with the place and season She gladly did of that same babe accept As of her owne by liuerey and seisin And hauing ouer it a litle wept She bore it thence and euer as her owne it kept Right glad was Calepine to be so rid Of his young charge whereof he skilled nought Ne she lesse glad for she so wisely did And with her husband vnder hand so wrought That when that infant vnto him she brought She made him thinke it surely was his owne And it in goodly thewes so well vpbrought That it became a famous knight well knowne And did right noble deedes the which elswhere are showne But Calepine now being left alone Vnder the greenewoods side in sorie plight Withouten armes or steede to ride vpon Or house to hide his head from heauens spight Albe that Dame by all the meanes she might Him oft desired home with her to wend And offred him his courtesie to requite Both horse and armes and what so else to lend Yet he them all refusd though thankt her as a frend And for exceeding griefe which inly grew That he his loue so lucklesse now had lost On the cold ground maugre himselfe he threw For fell despight to be so sorely crost And there all night himselfe in anguish tost Vowing that neuer he in bed againe His limbes would rest ne lig in ease embost Till that his Ladies sight he mote attaine Or vnderstand that she in safetie did remaine Cant. V. The saluage serues Matilda well till she Prince Arthure fynd Who her together with his Squyre with th'Hermit leaues behynd O What an easie thing is to descry The gentle bloud how euer it bewrapt In sad misfortunes foule deformity And wretched sorrowes which haue often hapt For howsoeuer it may grow mis-shapt Like this wyld man being vndisciplynd That to all vertue it may seeme vnapt Yet will it shew some sparkes of gentle mynd And at the last breake forth in his owne proper kynd That plainely may in this wyld man be red Who though he were still in this desert wood Mongst saluage beasts both rudely borne and bred Ne euer saw faire guize ne learned good Yet shewd some token of his gentle blood By gentle vsage of that wretched Dame For certes he was borne of noble blood How euer by hard hap he hether came As ye may know when time
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
sorrowes heapt on her in greater throng That who so heares her heauinesse would rew And pitty her sad plight so chang'd from pleasaunt hew Whylest thus she in these hellish dens remayned Wrapped in wretched cares and hearts vnrest It so befell as Fortune had ordayned That he which was their Capitaine profest And had the chiefe commaund of all the rest One day as he did all his prisoners vew With lustfull eyes beheld that louely guest Faire Pastorella whose sad mournefull hew Like the faire Morning clad in misty fog did shew At sight whereof his barbarous heart was fired And inly burnt with flames most raging whot That her alone he for his part desired Of all the other pray which they had got And her in mynde did to him selfe allot From that day forth he kyndnesse to her showed And sought her loue by all the meanes he mote With looks with words with gifts he oft her wowed And mixed threats among and much vnto her vowed But all that euer he could doe or say Her constant mynd could not a whit remoue Nor draw vnto the lure of his lewd lay To graunt him fauour or afford him loue Yet ceast he not to sew and all waies proue By which he mote accomplish his request Saying and doing all that mote behoue Ne day nor night he suffred her to rest But her all night did watch and all the day molest At last when him she so importune saw Fearing least he at length the raines would lend Vnto his lust and make his will his law Sith in his powre she was to foe or frend She thought it best for shadow to pretend Some shew of fauour by him gracing small That she thereby mote either freely wend Or at more ease continue there his thrall A little well is lent that gaineth more withall So from thenceforth when loue he to her made With better tearmes she did him entertaine Which gaue him hope and did him halfe perswade That he in time her ioyaunce should obtaine But when she saw through that small fauours gaine That further then she willing was he prest She found no meanes to barre him but to faine A sodaine sickenesse which her sore opprest And made vnfit to serue his lawlesse mindes behest By meanes whereof she would not him permit Once to approch to her in priuity But onely mongst the rest by her to sit Mourning the rigour of her malady And seeking all things meete for remedy But she resolu'd no remedy to fynde Nor better cheare to shew in misery Till Fortune would her captiue bonds vnbynde Her sickenesse was not of the body but the mynde During which space that she thus sicke did lie It chaunst a sort of merchants which were wount To skim those coastes for bondmen there to buy And by such trafficke after gaines to hunt Arriued in this Isle though bare and blunt T' inquire for slaues where being readie met By some of these same theeues at the instant brunt Were brought vnto their Captaine who was set By his faire patients side with sorrowfull regret To whom they shewed how those marchants were Arriu'd in place their bondslaues for to buy And therefore prayd that those same captiues there Mote to them for their most commodity Be sold and mongst them shared equally This their request the Captaine much appalled Yet could he not their iust demaund deny And willed streight the slaues should forth be called And sold for most aduantage not to be forstalled Then forth the good old Meliboe was brought And Coridon with many other moe Whom they before in diuerse spoyles had caught All which he to the marchants sale did showe Till some which did the sundry prisoners knowe Gan to inquire for that faire shepherdesse Which with the rest they tooke not long agoe And gan her forme and feature to expresse The more t' augment her price through praise of comlinesse To whom the Captaine in full angry wize Made answere that the Mayd of whom they spake Was his owne purchase and his onely prize With which none had to doe ne ought partake But he himselfe which did that conquest make Litle for him to haue one silly lasse Besides through sicknesse now so wan and weake That nothing meet in marchandise to passe So shew'd them her to proue how pale weake she was The sight of whom though now decayd and mard And eke but hardly seene by candle-light Yet like a Diamond of rich regard In doubtfull shadow of the darkesome night With starrie beames about her shining bright These marchants fixed eyes did so amaze That what through wonder what through delight A while on her they greedily did gaze And did her greatly like and did her greatly praize At last when all the rest them offred were And prises to them placed at their pleasure They all refused in regard of her Ne ought would buy how euer prisd with measure Withouten her whose worth aboue all threasure They did esteeme and offred store of gold But then the Captaine fraught with more displeasure Bad them be still his loue should not be sold The rest take if they would he her to him would hold Therewith some other of the chiefest theeues Boldly him bad such iniurie forbeare For that same mayd how euer it him greeues Should with the rest be sold before him theare To make the prises of the rest more deare That with great rage he stoutly doth denay And fiercely drawing forth his blade doth sweare That who so hardie hand on her doth lay It dearely shall aby and death for handsell pay Thus as they words amongst them multiply They fall to strokes the frute of too much talke And the mad steele about doth fiercely fly Not sparing wight ne leauing any balke But making way for death at large to walke Who in the horror of the griesly night In thousand dreadful shapes doth mongst them stalke And makes huge hauocke whiles the candlelight Out quenched leaues no skill nor difference of wight Like as a sort of hungry dogs ymet About some carcase by the common way Doe fall together stryuing each to get The greatest portion of the greedie pray All on confused heapes themselues assay And snatch and byte and rend and tug and teare That who them sees would wonder at their fray And who sees not would be affrayd to heare Such was the conflict of those cruell Brigants there But first of all their captiues they doe kill Least they should ioyne against the weaker side Or rise against the remnant at their will Old Meliboe is slaine and him beside His aged wife with many others wide But Coridon escaping craftily Creepes forth of dores whilst darknes him doth hide And flyes away as fast as he can hye Ne stayeth leaue to take before his friends doe dye But Pastorella wofull wretched Elfe Was by the Captaine all this while defended Who minding more her safety then himselfe His target alwayes ouer her pretended By meanes whereof that mote
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
be And if he shall through pride your doome vndo Do you by duresse him compell thereto And in this prison put him here with me One prison fittest is to hold vs two So had I rather to be thrall then free Such thraldome or such freedome let it surely be But ô vaine iudgement and conditions vaine The which the prisoner points vnto the free The whiles I him condemne and deeme his paine He where he list goes loose and laughes at me So euer loose so euer happy be But where so loose or happy that thou art Know Marinell that all this is for thee With that she wept and wail'd as if her hart Would quite haue burst through great abūdance of her smart All which complaint when Marinell had heard And vnderstood the cause of all her care To come of him for vsing her so hard His stubborne heart that neuer felt misfare Was toucht with soft remorse and pitty rare That euen for griefe of minde he oft did grone And inly wish that in his powre it weare Her to redresse but since he meanes found none He could no more but her great misery bemone Thus whilst his stony heart with tender ruth Was toucht and mighty courage mollifide Dame Venus sonne that tameth stubborne youth With iron bit and maketh him abide Till like a victor on his backe he ride Into his mouth his maystring bridle threw That made him stoupe till he did him bestride Then gan he make him tread his steps anew And learne to loue by learning louers paines to rew Now gan he in his grieued minde deuise How from that dungeon he might her enlarge Some while he thought by faire and humble wise To Proteus selfe to sue for her discharge But then he fear'd his mothers former charge Gainst womens loue long giuen him in vaine Then gan he thinke perforce with sword and targe Her forth to fetch and Proteus to constraine But soone he gan such folly to forthinke againe Then did he cast to steale her thence away And with him beare where none of her might know But all in vaine for why he found no way To enter in or issue forth below For all about that rocke the sea did flow And though vnto his will she giuen were Yet without ship or bote her thence to row He wist not how her thence away to bere And daunger well he wist long to continue there At last when as no meanes he could inuent Backe to him selfe he gan returne the blame That was the author of her punishment And with vile curses and reprochfull shame To damne him selfe by euery euill name And deeme vnworthy or of loue or life That had despisde so chast and faire a dame Which him had sought through trouble lōg strife Yet had refusde a God that her had sought to wife In this sad plight he walked here and there And romed round about the rocke in vaine As he had lost him selfe he wist not where Oft listening if he mote her heare againe And still bemoning her vnworthy paine Like as an Hynde whose calfe is falne vnwares Into some pit where she him heares complaine An hundred times about the pit side fares Right sorrowfully mourning her bereaued cares And now by this the feast was throughly ended And euery one gan homeward to resort Which seeing Marinell was sore offended That his departure thence should be so short And leaue his loue in that sea-walled for t Yet durst he not his mother disobay But her attending in full seemly sort Did march amongst the many all the way And all the way did inly mourne like one astray Being returned to his mothers bowre In solitary silence far from wight He gan record the lamentable stowre In which his wretched loue lay day and night For his deare sake that ill deseru'd that plight The thought whereof empierst his hart so deepe That of no worldly thing he tooke delight Ne dayly food did take ne nightly sleepe But pyn'd mourn'd languisht and alone did weepe That in short space his wonted chearefull hew Gan fade and liuely spirits deaded quight His cheeke bones raw and eie-pits hollow grew And brawney armes had lost their knowen might That nothing like himselfe he seem'd in sight Ere long so weake of limbe and sicke of loue He woxe that lenger he note stand vpright But to his bed was brought and layd aboue Like ruefull ghost vnable once to stirre or moue Which when his mother saw she in her mind Was troubled sore ne wist well what to weene Ne could by search nor any meanes out find The secret cause and nature of his teene Whereby she might apply some medicine But weeping day and night did him attend And mourn'd to see her losse before her eyne Which grieu'd her more that she it could not mend To see an helpelesse euill double griefe doth lend Nought could she read the roote of his disease Ne weene what mister maladie it is Whereby to seeke some meanes it to appease Most did she thinke but most she thought amis That that same former fatall wound of his Whyleare by Tryphon was not throughly healed But closely rankled vnder th'orifis Least did she thinke that which he most concealed That loue it was which in his hart lay vnreuealed Therefore to Tryphon she againe doth hast And him doth chyde as false and fraudulent That fayld the trust which she in him had plast To cure her sonne as he his faith had lent Who now was falne into new languishment Of his old hurt which was not throughly cured So backe he came vnto her patient Where searching euery part her well assured That it was no old sore which his new paine procured But that it was some other maladie Or griefe vnknowne which he could not discerne So left he her withouten remedie Then gan her heart to faint and quake and earne And inly troubled was the truth to learne Vnto himselfe she came and him besought Now with faire speches now with threatnings sterne If ought lay hidden in his grieued thought It to reueale who still her answered there was nought Nathlesse she rested not so satisfide But leauing watry gods as booting nought Vnto the shinie heauen in haste she hide And thence Apollo King of Leaches brought Apollo came who soone as he had sought Through his disease did by and by out find That he did languish of some inward thought The which afflicted his engrieued mind Which loue he red to be that leads each liuing kind Which when he had vnto his mother told She gan thereat to fret and greatly grieue And comming to her sonne gan first to scold And chyde at him that made her misbelieue But afterwards she gan him soft to shrieue And wooe with faire intreatie to disclose Which of the Nymphes his heart so sore did mieue For sure she weend it was some one of those Which he had lately seene that for his loue he chose Now lesse she feared