three bred Of one bad sire whose youngest is Sansioy And twixt them both was born the bloudy bold Sansloy In this sad plight friendlesse vnfortunate Now miserable I Fidessa dwell Crauing of you in pitty of my state To doe none ill if please ye not doe well He in great passion al this while did dwell More busying his quicke eies her face to view Then his dull eares to heare what shee 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 chear the seeming simple maid Let fal her eien as shamefast to the earth And yeelding soft in that she nought gain said So forth they rode he feining seemely merth And shee coy lookes so dainty they say maketh derth Long time they thus together traueiled Til 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 shadowe 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 him 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 rifte there came Smal drops of gory bloud that trickled down the same Therewith a piteous yelling voice 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 heare 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 voice of damned Ghost from Limbo lake Or guilefull spright wandring in empty aire Both which fraile men doe oftentimes mistake Sends to my doubtful eares these speaches rare And tuefull plants me bidding guiltlesse blood to spare Then groning deep Nor damned Ghost qd he Nor guileful sprite to thee these words 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 Boreas doth blow full bitter bleake And scorching Sunne does dry my secret vaines For though a tree I seme yet cold heat me paines Say on Fradubio then or man or tree Qd. 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 broght to wretchednesse In prime of youthly yeares when corage hott The fire of loue and ioy of cheualree First kindled in my brest it was my lott To loue this gentle Lady whome ye see Now not a Lady but a seeming tree With whome as once I rode accompanyde Me chaunced of a knight encountred bee That had a like faire Lady by his syde Lyke a faire Lady but did fowle Duessa hyde Whose forged beauty he did take in hand All other Dames to haue exceded farre I in defence of mine did likewise stand Mine that did then shine as the Morning starre So both to batteill 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 Fralissa was as faire as faire mote bee And euerfalse 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 fayre 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 vnweeting ioyd long time Ne euer wist but that she was the same Till on a day that day is euerie 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 slipp away Soone as appeard safe opportunitie For danger great if not assurd decay I saw before mine eyes if I were knowne to stray The diuelish hag by chaunges of my cheare 〈◊〉 my thought and drownd in 〈◊〉 night With wicked herbes and oyntments did besmeare My body all through charmes and magicke might That all my senses were bereaued quight Then brought she me into this desert waste And by my wretched louers side me pight Where now enclosd in wooden wals full faste Banisht from liuing
signes and passions which I see Be it worthy of thy race and royall sead Then I auow by this 〈◊〉 sacred head Of my deare foster childe to ease thy griefe And win thy will Therefore away doe dread For death nor daunger from thy dew reliefe Shall me debarre tell me therefore my liefest liefe So hauing sayd her twixt her armes twaine Shee streightly straynd and colled tenderly And euery trembling ioynt and euery vaine Shee softly felt and rubbed busily To doe the frosen cold away to fly And her faire deawy eies with kisses deare Shee ofte did bathe and ofte againe did dry And euer her importund not to feare To let the secret of her hart to her appeare The Damzell 〈◊〉 and then thus fearfully Ah Nurse what needeth thee to eke my paine Is not enough that I alone doe dye But it must doubled bee with death of twaine For nought for me but death there doth remaine O daughter deare said she despeire no whit For neuer sore but might a salue obtaine That blinded God which hath ye blindly smit Another arrow hath your louers hart to hit But mine is not quoth she like other wownd For which no reason can finde remedy Was neuer such but 〈◊〉 the like be fownd Said she and though no reason may apply Salue to your sore yet loue can higher stye Then reasons reach and oft hath wonders donne But neither God of loue nor God of skye Can doe said she that which cannot be donne Things ofte impossible quoth she seeme ere begonne These idle wordes said she doe nought aswage My stubborne 〈◊〉 but more annoiaunce breed For no no vsuall fire no vsuall rage Yt is O Nourse which on my life doth feed And sucks the blood which frō my hart doth bleed But since thy faithfull zele 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 〈◊〉 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 bowells and so sore Now ranckleth in this same fraile fleshly mould That all mine entrailes flow with poisnous gore And th'vlcer groweth daily more and more Ne can my ronning sore finde remedee Other then my hard fortune to deplore And languish as the leafe faln from the tree Till death make one end of my 〈◊〉 and miseree Daughter said she what needye be dismayd Or why make ye such Monster of your minde Of much more vncouth thing I was affrayd Of filthy lust contrary vnto kinde But this affection nothing 〈◊〉 I fi nde For who with reason can you aye reproue To loue the semblaunt pleasing most your minde And yield your heart whence ye cannot remoue No guilt in you but in the tyranny of loue Not so th' Arabian Myrrhe did sett her mynd Not so did Biblis spend her pining hart But lou'd their natiue flesh against al kynd And to their purpose vsed wicked art Yet playd Pasiphaë a more monstrous part That lou'd a Bul and learnd a beast to bee Such shamefull lusts who loaths not which depart From course of nature and of 〈◊〉 Swete loue such lewdnes bands from his faire cōpanee But thine my Deare welfare thy heart my deare Though straunge beginning had yet fixed is On one that worthy may perhaps appeare And certes seemes bestowed not amis Ioy there of haue thou and eternall blis With that vpleaning on her elbow weake Her alablaster brest she soft did kis Which all that while shee 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 Fòr they how euer shamefull and vnkinde Yet did possesse their horrible intent Short end of sorowes they therby did finde So was their fortune good though wicked were their minde But wicked fortune mine though minde 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 chyld Who hauing vewed in a fountaine shere His face was with the loue thereof beguyld I fonder loue a shade the body far exyld Nought like quoth shee for that same wretched boy Was of him selfe the ydle 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 body hath in powre That body 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 gott And thee abandond wholy doe possesse Against it strongly striue and yield thee nott Til thou in open fielde adowne be smott But if the passion mayster thy fraile might So that needs loue or death must bee thy lott Then I auow to thee by wrong or right To compas 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 busy ayd So that at last a litle creeping sleepe Surprisd her sence Shee therewith well apayd The dronken lamp down in the oyl did steepe And sett her by to watch and sett her by to weepe Earely the morrow next before that day His ioyous face did to the world reuele They both vprose and tooke their ready way Vnto the Church their praiers to appele With great deuotion and with litle zel e For the faire Damzel 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 Retourned home the royall Infant 〈◊〉 Into her former fitt for why no powre Nor guidaunce of her selfe in her did dwell But th' aged Nourse her calling to her bowre Had gathered Rew and Sauine and the flowre Of Camphora and Calamint and Dill All which she in a 〈◊〉 Pot did poure And to the brim with Colt wood did it fill And many drops of milk and blood through it did spill Then taking thrise three heares from of her head Then trebly breaded in a threefold 〈◊〉 And round about the Pots mouth boūd the thread
cups his mates him pledg around Such ioy made Vna when her knight she found And eke th' enchaunter ioyous seemde no lesse Then the glad marchant that does vew from ground His ship far come from watrie wildernesse He hurles out vowes and Neptune oft doth blesse So forth they past and all the way they spent Discoursing of her dreadful late distresse In which he askt her what the Lyon ment Who told her all that fell in iourney as she went They had not ridden far when they might see One pricking towards them with hastie heat Full strongly armd and on a courser free That through his fiersnesse fomed all with sweat And the sharpe yron did for anger eat When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side His looke was sterne and seemed still to threat Cruell reuenge which he in hart did hyde And on his shield Sans loy in bloody lines was dyde When nigh he drew vnto this gentle payre And saw the Red-crosse which the knight did beare He burnt in fire and gan eftsoones prepare Himselfe to batteill with his couched speare Loth was that other and did faint through feare To taste th'vntryed dint of deadly steele But yet his Lady did so well him cheare That hope of new good hap he gan to feele So bent his speare and spurd his horse with yron heele But that proud Paynim forward came so ferce And full of wrath that with his sharphead speare Through vainly 〈◊〉 shield he quite did perce And had his staggering steed not shronke for feare Through shield and body eke he should him beare Yet so great was the puissance of his push That from his sadle quite he did him beare He tombling rudely downe to ground did rush And from his gored wound a well of bloud did gush Dismounting lightly from his loftie steed He to him lept in minde to reaue his life And proudly said 〈◊〉 there the worthie meed Of him that slew Sansfoy with bloody knife Henceforth his ghost freed from repining strife In peace may passen ouer Let he lake When mourning altars purgd with enimies life The black infernall Furies doen aslake Life from 〈◊〉 thou tookst Sansloy shall frō thee take Therewith in haste his helmet gan vnlace Till Vna cride O hold that heauie hand Deare Sir what euer that thou be in place Enough is that thy foe doth vanquisht stand Now at thy mercy Mercy not withstand For he is one the truest knight aliue Though conquered now he lye on lowly land And whilest him 〈◊〉 fauourd fayre did thriue In bloudy field therefore of life him not 〈◊〉 epriue Her piteous wordes might not abate his rage But rudely rending vp his helmet would Haue slayne him streight but when he sees his age And hoarie head of Archimago old His hasty hand he doth amased hold And halfe ashamed wondred at the sight For the old man well knew he though vntold In charmes and magick to haue wondrous might Ne euer wont in field ne in round lists to fight And said Why Archimago lucklesse syre What doe I see what hard mishap is this That hath thee hether brought to taste mine yre Or thine the fault or mine the error is Instead of foe to wound my friend amis He answered nought but in a traunce still lay And on those guile full 〈◊〉 eyes of his The cloude of death did sit Which doen away He left him lying so ne would no lenger stay But to the virgin comes who all this while Amased stands her selfe so mockt to see By him who has the guerdon of his guile For so misfeigning her true knight to bee Yet is she now in more perplexitie Left in the hand of that same Paynim bold From whom her booteth not at all to flie Who by her cleanly garment catching hold Her from her Palfrey pluckt her visage to behold But her fiers seruant full of kingly aw And high disdaine whenas his soueraine Dame So rudely handled by her foe he saw With gaping iawesfull greedy at him came And ramping on his shield did weene the same Haue reft away with his sharprending clawes But he was stout and lust did now inflame His corage more that frō his griping pawes He hath his shield redeemd and forth his swerd he drawes O then too weake and feeble was the forse Of saluage beast his puissance to withstand For he was strong and of so mightie corse As euer wielded speare in warlike hand And feates of armes did wisely vnderstand Est soones he perced through his chaufed chest With thrilling point of deadly yron brand And launcht his Lordly hart with death opprest He ror'd aloud whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest Who now is left to keepe the forlorne maid From raging spoile of law lesse victors will Her faithfull gard remou'd her hope dismaid Her selfe a yielded pray to saue or spill He now Lord of the field his pride to fill With foule reproches and disdaineful spight Her vildly entertaines and will or nill Beares her away vpon his courser light Her prayers nought preuaile his rage is more of might And all the way with great lamenting paine And piteous plaintes she filleth his dull eares That stony hart could riuen haue in twaine And all the way she wetts with flowing teares But he enrag'd with rancor nothing heares Her seruile beast yet would not leaue her so But followes her far of ne ought he feares To be partaker of her wandring woe More mild in beastly kind then that her beastly foe Can. IIII. To sinfull hous of Pryde Duessa guydes the faithfull knight Where brothers death to wreak Sansioy doth chaleng him to fight YOung knight what euer that dost armes professe And through long labours huntest after fame Beware of fraud beware of ficklenesse In choice and chaunge of thy deare loued Dame Least thou of her belieue too lightly blame And rash misweening doe thy hart remoue For vnto knight there is no greater shame Then lightnesse and inconstancie in loue That doth this Redcrosse knights ensample plainly proue Who after that he had faire Vna lorne Through light misdeeming of her loialtie And fale Duessa in her sted had borne Called Fidess and so supposd to be Long with her traueild till at last they see A goodly building brauely garnished The house of mightie Prince it seemd to be And towards it a broad high way that led All bare through peoples feet which thether traueiled Great troupes of people traueild thetherward Both day and night of each degree and place But few returned hauing scaped hard With balefull beggery or soule disgrace Which euer after in most wretched care Like loathsome lazars by the hedges lay Thether Duessa badd him bend his pace For she is wearie of the toilsom way And also nigh consumed is the lingring day A stately Pallace built of squared bricke Which cunningly was without morter laid Whose wals were high but nothing strong nor thick And golden foile all ouer them displaid That purest skye with
guile But wordes and lookes and sighes she did abhore As rock of Diamond stedfast euermore Yet for to feed his fyrie lustfull eye He snatcht the vele that hong her face before Then gan her beautie shyne as brightest skye And burnt his beastly hart t'efforce her chastitye So when he saw his flatt'ring artes to fayle And subtile engines bett from batteree With greedy force he gan the fort assayle Whereof he weend possesse soone to bee And win rich spoile of ransackt chastitee Ah heauens that doe this hideous act behold And heauenly virgin thus outraged see How can ye vengeance iust so long withhold And hurle not flashing flames vpō that Paynim bold The pitteous mayden carefull comfortlesse Does throw out thrilling shriekes and shrieking cryes The last vaine helpe of wemens great distresse And with loud plaintes importuneth the skyes That molten starres doe drop like weeping eyes And Phoebus flying so most shamefull sight His blushing face in foggy cloud implyes And hydes for shame What witt of mortall wight Can now deuise to quitt a thrall from such a plight Eternall prouidence exceeding thought Where none appeares can make her selfe a way A wondrous way it for this Lady wrought From Lyons clawes to pluck the gryped pray Her shrill outcryes and shrieks so loud did bray That all the woodes and forestes did resownd A troupe of Faunes and Satyres far a way Within the wood were dauncing in a rownd Whiles old Syluanus slept in shady arber sownd Who when they heard that pitteous strained voice In haste forsooke their rurall meriment And ran towardes the far rebownded noyce To weet what wight so loudly did lament Vnto the place they come incontinent Whom when the raging Sarazin espyde A rude mishappen monstrous rablement Whose like he neuer saw he durst not byde But got his ready steed and fast away gan ryde The wyld woodgods arriued in the place There find the virgin doolfull desolate With ruffled rayments and fayre blubbred face As her outrageous foe had left her late And trembling yet through feare of former hate All stand amazed at so vncouth sight And gin to pittie her vnhappie state All stand astonied at her beautie bright In their rude eyes vnworthy of so wofull plight She more amazd in double dread doth dwell And euery tender part for feare does shake As when a greedy Wolfe through honger fell A seely Lamb far from the flock does take Of whom he meanes his bloody feast to make A Lyon spyes fast running towards him The innocent pray in hast he does forsake Which quitt from death yet quakes in euery lim With chaunge of feare to see the Lyon looke so grim Such fearefull fitt assaid her trembling hart Ne word to speake ne ioynt to moue she had The saluage nation feele her secret smart And read her sorrow in her count'nance sad Their frowning forheades with rough hornes yclad And rustick horror all a syde doe lay And gently grenning shew a semblance glad To comfort her and feare to put away Their backward bent knees teach her humbly to obay The doubtfull Damzell dare not yet committ Her single person to their barbarous truth But still twixt feare and hope amazd does sitt Late learnd what harme to hasty trust ensu'th They in compassion of her 〈◊〉 der youth And wonder of her beautie so uerayne Are wonne with pitty and vnwonted ruth And all prostrate vpon the lowly playne Doe kisse her feete and fawne on her with count'nance fayne Their harts she 〈◊〉 by their humble guise And yieldes her to extremitie of time So from the ground she fearelesse doth arise And walketh forth without suspect of crime They all as glad as birdes ofioyous Pryme Thence lead her 〈◊〉 about her 〈◊〉 round Shouting and 〈◊〉 all a shepheards ryme And with greene braunches strowing all the ground Do worship her as Queene with oliue girlond cround And all the way their merry pipes they sound That all the woods with doubled Eccho ring And with their horned feet doe weare the ground Leaping like wanton kids in pleasant Spring So towards old Syluanus they her bring Who with the noyse awaked commeth out To weet the cause his weake steps gouerning And aged limbs on Cypresse stadle stout And with an yuie twyne his waste is girt about Far off he wonders what them makes so glad 〈◊〉 Bacchus merry 〈◊〉 they did inuent Or Cybeles frantickerites haue made them mad They drawing nigh vnto their God present That flowre of fayth and beautie excellent The God himselfe vewing that mirrhour rare Stood long amazd and burnt in his intent His owne fayre Dryope now he thinkes not faire And Pholoe fowle when her to this he doth compaire The woodborne people 〈◊〉 before her flat And worship her as Goddesse of the wood And old 〈◊〉 selfe 〈◊〉 not what To thinke of 〈◊〉 so fayre but gazing stood In doubt to 〈◊〉 her borne of earthly brood Sometimes Dame Venus selfe he seemes to see But Venas neuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mood Sometimes 〈◊〉 he her takes to be But misseth bow and 〈◊〉 and buskins to her 〈◊〉 By vew of her he ginneth to 〈◊〉 His ancient loue and dearest Cyparisse And calles to mind his 〈◊〉 aliue How fayre he was and yet not fayre to this And how he slew with glauncing dart amisse A gentle Hynd the which the louely boy Did loue as life aboue all worldly blisse For griefe whereof the lad n'ould after 〈◊〉 But pynd away in anguish and selfewild 〈◊〉 The wooddy Nymphes faire Hamadryades Her to behold do thether runne apace And all the troupe of light foot Naiades Flocke all about to see her louely face But when they vewed haue her heauenly grace They enuy her in their malitious mind And fly away for feare offowle disgrace But all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their woody kind And henceforth nothing faire but her on earth they find Glad of such lucke the luckelesse lucky mayd Did her content to please their feeble eyes And long time with that saluage people stayd To gather breath in many miseryes During which time her gentle wit she plyes To teach them truth which worshipt her in vaine And made her th' Image of Idolatryes But when their bootlesse zeale she did restrayne Frō her own worship they her Asse would worship fayn It fortuned a noble warlike knight By iust occasion to that forrest came To seeke his kindred and the lignage right From whence he tooke his weldeserued name He had in armes abroad wonne muchell fame And fild far landes with glorie of his might Plaine faithfull true and enimy of shame And euer lou'd to fight for Ladies right But in vaine glorious frayes he litle did delight A Satyres sonne yborne in forrest wyld By straunge aduenture as it did betyde And there begotten of a Lady myld Fayre Thyamis the daughter of Labryde That was in sacred bandes of wedlocke tyde To Therion a loose vnruly swayne Who had more ioy to raunge the forrest wyde And chase the saluage
speach Could his blood frosen hart emboldened bee But through his boldnes rather feare did reach Yett forst at last he made through silēce 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 fayre knight to keepen companee Sir Terwin hight that well himselfe aduaunst In all affayres and was both bold and free But not so happy as mote happy bee He lou'd as was his lot a Lady 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 retourning 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 calls himselfe Despayre Who first vs greets and after fayre areedes Of tydinges straunge 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 dew reliefe That earst vs held in loue of lingring life Then hopelesse hartlesse gan the cunning thiefe Perswade vs dye to stint all further strife To me he lent this rope to him a rusty knife With which sad instrument of hasty death That wofull louer loathing lenger light A wyde way made to let forth liuing breath But I more fearefull or more lucky wight Dismayd with that deformed dismall sight Fledd fast away halfe dead with dying feare Ne yet assur'd of life by you Sir knight Whose like infirmity like chaunce may beare But God you neuer let his charmed speaches heare How may a man said he with idle speach Be wonne to spoyle the Castle of his health I wote quoth he whom tryall late did teach That like would not for all this worldes wealth His subtile tong like dropping honny mealt'h Into the heart and searcheth euery vaine That ere one be aware by secret stealth His powre is reft and weaknes doth remaine O neuer Sir desire to try his guilefull traine Certes sayd he hence shall I neuer rest Till I that treachours art haue heard and tryde And you Sir knight whose name mote I request Of grace do me vnto his cabin guyde I that hight Treuisan quoth he will ryde Against my liking backe to doe you grace But nor for gold nor glee will I abyde By you when ye arriue in that same place For 〈◊〉 had I die then see his deadly face Ere long they come where that same wicked wight His dwelling has low in an hollow caue Far vnderneath a craggy clifty plight Darke dolefull dreary like a greedy graue That still for carrion carcases doth craue On top whereof ay dwelt the ghastly Owle Shrieking his balefull note which euer draue Far from that haunt all other chearefull fowle Aud all about it wandring ghostes did wayle howle And all about old stockes and stubs of trees Whereon nor fruite nor leafe was euer seene Did hang vpon the ragged rocky knees On which had many wretches hanged beene Whose carcases were scattred on the greene And throwne about the clifts Arriued there That bare-head knight for dread and dolefull teene Would faine haue fled ne durst approchen neare But th' other forst him staye and comforted in feare That darkesome caue they enter where they find That cursed man low sitting on the ground Musing full sadly in his sullein mind His griesie lockes long growen and vnbound Disordred hong about his shoulders round And hid his face through which his hollow eyne Lookt deadly dull and stared as astound His raw-bone cheekes through penurie and pine Were shronke into his iawes as he did neuer dyne His garment nought but many ragged clouts With thornes together pind and patched was The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts And him beside there lay vpon the gras A dreary corse whose life away did pas All wallowd in his own yet luke-warme blood That from his wound yet welled fresh alas In which a rusty knife fast fixed stood And made an open passage for the gushing flood Which piteous spectacle approuing trew The wofull tale that Trevisan had told When as the gentle Redcrosse knight did vew With firie zeale he burnt in courage bold Him to auenge before his blood were cold And to the villein sayd Thou damned wight The authour of this fact we here behold What iustice can but iudge against thee right With thine owne blood to price his blood here shed in sight What franticke fit quoth he hath thus distraught Thee foolish man so rash a doome to giue What iustice euer other iudgement taught But he should dye who merites not to liue None els to death this man despayring driue But his owne guiltie mind deseruing death Is then vniust to each his dew to giue Or let him dye that loatheth liuing breath Or let him die at ease that liueth here vneath Who trauailes by the wearie wandring way To come vnto his wished home in haste And meetes a flood that doth his passage stay Is not great grace to helpe him ouer past Or free his feet that in the myresticke fast Most enuious man that grieues at neighbours good And fond that ioyest in the woe thou hast Why wilt not let him passe that long hath stood Vpon the bancke yet wilt thy selfe not pas the flood He there does now enioy eternall rest And happy ease which thou doest want and craue And further from it daily wanderest What if some little payne the passage haue That makes frayle flesh to feare the bitter waue Is not short payne well borne that bringes long ease And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet graue Sleepe after toyle port after stormie seas Ease after warre death after life does greatly pleafe The knight much wondred at his suddeine wit And sayd The terme of life limited Ne may a man prolong nor shorten it The souldier may not moue from watchfull sted Nor leaue his stand vntill his Captaine bed Who life did limit by almightie doome Quoth he knowes best the termes established And he that points the Centonell his roome Doth license him depart at sound of morning droome Is not his deed what euer thing is donne In heauen and earth did not he all create To die againe all ends that was begonne Their times in his eternall booke of fate Are written sure and haue their certein date
Thrise happy man who fares them both atweene But sith this wretched woman ouercome Of 〈◊〉 rather then of crime hath bene Reserue her cause to her eternall doome And in the meane vouchsafe her honorable toombe Palmer qd he death is an equall doome To good and bad the commen In of rest But after death the tryall is to come When best shall bee 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 greet 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 ay releace The dead knights sword out of his sheath he drew With which he cutt a lock of all their heare Which medling with their blood earth he threw Into the graue and gan deuoutly sweare Such and such euil God on Gúyon reare And worse and worse young Orphane bethy payne If I or thou dew vengeance doe forbeare Till guiltie blood her guerdon doe obtayne So shedding many teares they closd the earth agayne Cant II. Babes bloody handes may not be clensd the face of golden Meane Her sisters two Extremities striue her to banish cleane THus when Sir Guyon with his faithful guyde Had with dew rites and dolorous lament The end of their sad Tragedie vptyde The litle babe vp in his armes he hent Who with sweet pleasaunce 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 knightes hart and wordes with bitter teares did steepe Ah lucklesse babe borne vnder cruell starre And in dead parents balefull ashes bred Full little weenest thou what sorrowes are Left thee for porcion of thy liuelyhed 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 we Into this life with woe and end with miseree Then soft him selfe inclyning on his knee Downe to that well did in the water weene So loue does loath disdainefull nicitee His guiltie handes from bloody 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 bloody seene The which him into great amaz'ment droue And into diuerse doubt his wauering wonder cloue He wist not whether blott of fowle 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 bloodguiltinesse he hat'h Or that the charme and veneme which they dronck Their blood with secret filth infected hath Being diffused through the sencelesse tronck That through the great contagion direful deadly stonck Whom thus at gaze the Palmer gan to bord With goodly reason and thus fayre bespake Ye bene right hart amated gratious Lord And of your ignorance great merueill make Whiles cause not well conceiued ye mistake But know that secret vertues are infusd In euery fountaine and in euerie 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 fayre Floraes painted lap But other some by guifte of later grace Or by good prayers or by other hap Had vertue pourd into their waters bace And thenceforth were renowmd and sought from place place Such is this well wrought by occasion straunge Which to her Nymph befell Vpon a day As she the woodes with bow and shaftes did raunge The hartlesse Hynd 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 Hynd 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 die 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 whose two heads As from two weeping eyes fresh streames do flow Yet colde through feare and old conceiued dreads And yet the stone her semblance seemes to show Shapt like a maide that such ye may her know And yet her vertues in her water byde For it is chaste and pure as purest snow Ne lets her waues with any filth be dyde But euer like her selfe vnstayned hath beene tryde From thence it comes that this babes bloody hand May not be clensd with water of this well Ne certes Sir striue you it to withstand But let them still be bloody 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 mind reuengement And be for all chaste 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 blood 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 frame And wondrous strong by nature and by skilfull frame Therein three sisters dwelt of sundry sort The children of one syre by mothers three Who dying whylome did diuide this fort To them by equall shares in equall fee But stryfull mind and diuerse qualitee Drew them in partes and each made others foe Still did they striue and daily 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
for her meeds Be therefore O my deare Lords pacifide And this misseeming discord meekely lay aside Her gracious words their rancour did appall And suncke so deepe into their boyling brests That downe they lett their cruell weapons fall And lowly did abase their lofty crests To her faire presence and discrete behests Then she began a treaty to procure And stablish termes betwixt both their requests That as a law for euer should endure Which to obserue in word of knights they did assure Which to confirme and fast to bind their league After their weary sweat and bloody toile She them besought during their quiet treague Into her lodging to repaire a while To rest themselues and grace to reconcile They soone consent so forth with her they fare Where they are well receiud and made to spoile Themselues of soiled armes and to prepare Their minds to pleasure their mouths to dainty fare And those two froward sisters their faire loues Came with them eke all were they wondrous loth And fained cheare as for the time behoues But could not colour yet so well the troth But that their natures bad appeard in both For both did at their second sister grutch And inly grieue as doth an hidden moth The inner garment frett not th'vtter touch One though ther cheare too 〈◊〉 th' other thought too mutch Elissa so the eldest hight did deeme Such entertainment base ne ought would eat Ne ought would speake but euermore did seeme As discontent for want of metth or meat No solace could her Paramour intreat Her once to show ne court nor dalliaunce But with bent lowring browes as she would threat She scould and frownd with froward countenaunce Vnworthy of faire Ladies comely gouernaunce But young Perissa was of other mynd Full of disport still laughing loosely light And quite contrary to her sisters kynd No measure in her mood no rule of right But poured out in pleasure and delight In wine and meats she flowd aboue the banck And in excesse exceeded her owne might In sumptuous tire she ioyd her selfe to pranck But of her loue too lauish litle haue she thanck First by her side did sitt the bold Sansloy Fitt mate for such a mincing mineon Who in her loosenesse tooke exceeding ioy Might not be found a francker franion Of her leawd parts to make companion But Huddibras more like a Malecontent Did see and grieue at his bold fashion Hardly could he endure his hardiment Yett still he satt and inly did him selfe torment Betwixt them both the faire Medina sate With sober grace and goodly carriage With equall measure she did moderate The strong extremities of their outrage That forward paire she euer would asswage When they would striue dew reason to exceed But that same froward twaine would accorage And of her plenty adde vnto their need So kept she them in order and her selfe in heed Thus fairely shee attempered her feast And pleasd them all with meete satiety At last when lust of meat and drinke was ceast She Guyon deare besought of curtesie To tell from whence he came through ieopardy And whether now on new aduenture bownd Who with bold grace and comely grauity Drawing to him the eies of all arownd From lofty siege began these words aloud to sownd This thy demaund O Lady doth reuiue Fresh memory in me of that great Queene Great and most glorious virgin Queene aliue That with her soueraine powre and scepter shene All Faery lond does peaceably sustene In widest Ocean she her throne does reare That ouer all the earth it may be seene As morning Sunne her beames dispredden cleare And in her face faire peace and mercy doth appeare In her the richesse of all heauenly grace In chiefe degree are heaped vp on hye And all that els this worlds enclosure bace Hath great or glorious in mortall eye Adornes the person of her Maiestye That men beholding so great excellence And rare perfection in mortalitye Doe her adore with sacred reuerence As th'Idole of her makers great magnificence To her I homage and my seruice owe In number of the noblest knightes on ground Mongst whom on me she deigned to bestowe Order of Maydenhead the most renownd That may this day in all the world be found An yearely solemne feast she wontes to make The day that first doth lead the yeare around To which all knights of worth and courage bold Resort to heare of straunge aduentures to be told There this old Palmer shewd himselfe that day And to that mighty Princesse did complaine Of grieuous mischiefes which a wicked Fay Had wrought and many whelmd in deadly paine Whereof he crau'd redresse My Soueraine Whose glory is in gracious deeds and ioyes Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine Eftsoones deuisd redresse for such annoyes Me all vnfitt for so great purpose she employes Now hath faire Phebe with her siluer face Thrise seene the shadowes of the neather world Sith last I left that honorable place In which her roiall presence is entrold Ne euer shall I rest in house nor hold Till I that false Acrasia haue wonne Of whose fowle deedes too hideous to bee told I witnesse am and this their wretched sonne Whose wofull parents she hath wickedly fordonne Tell on fayre Sir said she that dolefull tale From which sad ruth does seeme you to restraine That we may pitty such vnhappie bale And learne from pleasures poyson to abstaine Ill by ensample good doth often gayne Then forward he his purpose gan pursew And told the story of the mortall payne Which Mordant and Amauia did rew As with lamenting eyes him selfe did lately vew Night was far spent and now in Ocean deep Orion flying fast from hissing snake His flaming head did hasten for to steep When of his pitteous tale he end did make Whilst with delight of that he wisely spake Those guestes beguyled did beguyle their eyes Of kindly sleepe that did them ouertake At last when they had markt the chaunged skyes They wist their houre was spēt thē each to rest him hyes Cant. III. Vaine Braggadocchio getting Guyons horse is made the scorne Of knighthood trew and is of fayre Belphoebe fowle forlorne SO one as the morrow fayre with purple beames Disperst the shadowes of the misty night And Titan playing on the eastern streames Gan cleare the deawy ayre with springing light Sir Guyon mindfull of his vow yplight Vprose from drowsie couch and him addrest Vnto the iourney which he had behight His 〈◊〉 armes about his noble brest And many-folded shield he bound about his wrest Then taking Congè of that virgin pure The bloody-handed babe vnto her truth Did earnestly committ and her coniure In vertuous lore to traine his tender youth And all that gentle noriture ensueth And that so soone as ryper yeares he rought He might for memory of that dayes ruth Be called Ruddymane and thereby taught T' auenge his Parents death on thē that had it wrought So forth he far'd as now befell on foot
Straunge seemed to the knight that aye with foe In fayre defence and goodly menaging Of armes was wont to fight yet nathemoe Was he abashed now not fighting so But more enfierced through his currish play Him sternly grypt and hailing to and fro To ouerthrow him strongly did assay But ouerthrew him selfe vnwares and lowerlay And being downe the villein sore did beate And bruze with clownish 〈◊〉 his manly face And eke the Hag with many a bitter threat Still cald vpon to kill him in the place With whose reproch and odious menace The knight 〈◊〉 in his haughtie hart Knitt all his forces and gan soone vnbrace His grasping hold so lightly did vpstart And drew his deadly weapon to maintaine his part Which when the Palmersaw he loudly cryde Not so O Guyon neuer thinke that so That Monster can be maistred or destroyd He is no ah he is not such a foe As steele can 〈◊〉 or strength can ouerthroe That same is Furor cursed cruel wight That vnto knighthood workes much shame woe And that same Hag his aged mother hight Occasion the roote of all wrath and despight With her who so will raging Furor tame Must first begin and well her amenage First her restraine from her reprochfull blame And euill meanes with which she doth enrage Her frantick sonne and kindles his corage Then when she is withdrawne or strong withstood It 's eath his ydle fury to aswage And calme the tempest of his passion wood The bankes are ouerflowne when stopped is the flood Therewith Sir Guyon left his first emprise And turning to that woman fast her hent By the hoare lockes that hong before her eyes And to the ground her threw yet n'ould she stent Her bitter 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 tongue Thereon an yron lock did fasten firme and strong Then whenas vse of speach was from her reft With her two crooked handes she signes did make And beckned him the last help she had left But he that last left helpe away did take And both her handes fast bound vnto a stake That she note stirre Then gan her sonne to flye Full fast away and did her quite forsake But Guyon after him 〈◊〉 hast did hye And soone him ouertooke in sad perplexitye In his strong armes he stifly him embraste Who him gainstriuing nought at all preuaild For all his power was vtterly defaste And furious fitts at earst quite weren quaild Oft he re'nforst and oft his forces fayld Yet yield he would not nor his rancor slack 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 rack With hundred yron chaines he did him 〈◊〉 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 bloody strakes did staine Stared full wide and threw forth sparkes offyre And more for ranck 〈◊〉 then for great paine Shakt his long locks colourd like copper-wyre And 〈◊〉 his tawny beard to shew his raging yre Thus whenas Guyon Furor had captiud Turning about he saw that wretched Squyre Whom that mad man of life nigh late depriud Lying on ground all foild with blood and myre Whom when as he perceiued to respyre He gan to comfort and his woundes to dresse Being at last recured he gan inquyre What hard mishap him brought to such distresse And made that caytiues thrall the thrall of wretchednesse With hart then throbbing and with watry eyes Fayre Sir qd he what man can shun the hap That hidden lyes vnwares him to surpryse Misfortune waites aduantage to entrap The man most wary in her whelming lap So me weake wretch of many weakest wretch Vnweeting and vnware of such mishap She brought to mischiefe through her guilful trech Where this same wicked villein did me wādring ketch 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 wee knitt In which we long time without gealous feares Or faultie thoughts 〈◊〉 as was fitt And for my part I vow dissembled not a whitt It was my fortune commune to that age To loue a Lady fayre 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 〈◊〉 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 Lady as to mee Ne euer wight that more so welcome bee As he to her withouten blott 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 Lady to my spouse had wonne Accord of friendes consent of Parents sought Affyaunce 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 ear that wished day his beame disclosd He either enuying my toward good Or of him selfe to treason ill disposd One day vnto me came in friendly mood And told for secret how he vnderstood That Lady 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 sharp gelosy Which his sad speach 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 out wrest And him besought by that same sacred band Betwixt vs both to counsell me the best He then with solemne oath and plighted hand Assurd 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 partener Paramoure Who vsed in a darkesome inner bowre Her oft to meete 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
Of Chastity IT falls me here to write of Chastity The fayrest vertue far aboue the rest For which what needes me fetch from Faery Forreine ensamples it to haue exprest Sith it is shrined in my Soueraines brest And formd so liuely in each perfect part That to all Ladies which haue it profest Neede but behold the pourtraict of her hart If pourtrayd it might bee by any liuing 〈◊〉 But liuing art may not least part expresse Nor life-resembling pencill it can paynt All were it Zeuxis or Praxitcles His daedale hand would faile and greatly faynt And her perfections with his error taynt Ne Poets witt that passeth Painter farre In picturing the parts of beauty daynt So hard a workemanship aduenture darre For fear through wāt of words her excellence to marre How then shall I Apprentice of the skill That whilome in diuinest wits did rayne Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill Yet now my luckelesse lott doth me constrayne Hereto perforce But O dredd Souerayne Thus far forth pardon sith that choicest witt Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure playne That I in colourd showes may shadow itt And antique praises vnto present persons fitt But if in liuing colours and right hew Thy selfe thou couet to see pictured Who can it doe more liuely or more trew Then that sweete verse with Nectar sprinckeled In which a gracious seruaunt pictured His Cynthia his heauens fayrest light That with his melting sweetnes rauished And with the wonder of her beames bright My sences lulled are in slomber of delight But let that same delitious Poet lend A little leaue vnto a rusticke Muse To sing his mistresse prayse and let him mend If ought amis her liking may abuse Ne let his fayrest Cynthia refuse In mirrours more then one her selfe to see But either Glorian a let her chuse Or in Belphoebe fashioned to bee In th' one her rule in th' other her rare chastitee Cant. I. Guyon encountreth Britomart Fayre Florimell is chaced Duessaes traines and Materastaes champions are defaced THe famous Briton Prince and Faery knight After long wayes and perilous paines endur'd Hauing their weary limbes to perfect plight Restord and sory wounds right well recur'd Of the faire Alma greatly were procur'd To make there lenger soiourne and abode But when thereto they might not be allur'd From seeking praise and deeds of armes abrode They courteous conge tooke and forth together yode But the captiu'd Acrasia he sent Because of traueill long a nigher way With a strong gard all reskew to preuent And her to Faery court safe to conuay That her for witnes of his hard assay Vnto his Faery Queene he might present But he him selfe betooke another way To make more triall of his hardiment And seeke aduentures as he with Prince Arthure went Long so they traueiled through wastefull wayes Where daungers dwelt and perils most did wonne To hunt for glory and renowmed prayse Full many Countreyes they did ouerronne From the vprising to the setting Sunne And many hard aduentures did atchieue Of all the which they honour euer wonne Seeking the weake oppressed to relieue And to recouer right for such as wrong did 〈◊〉 At last as through an open plaine they 〈◊〉 They spide a knight that towards pricked fayre And him beside an aged Squire there rode That seemd to couch vnder his shield three-square As if that age badd him that burden spare And yield it those that stouter could it wield He them espying gan him selfe prepare And on his arme addresse his goodly shield That bore a Lion passant in a golden field Which seeing good Sir Guyon deare besought The Prince of grace to let him ronne that turne He graunted then the Faery quickly raught His poynant speare and sharply gan to spurne His fomy steed whose fiery feete did burne The verdant gras as he thereon did tread Ne did the other backe his foote returne But fiercely forward came withouten dread And bent his dreadful speare against the others head They beene ymett and both theyr points arriu'd But Guyon droue so furious and fell That seemd both shield and plate it would haue riu'd Nathelesse it bore his foe not from his sell Rut made him stagger as he were not well But Guyon selfe ere well he was aware Nigh a 〈◊〉 length behind his crouper fell Yet in his fall so well him selfe he bare That mischieuous mischaūce his 〈◊〉 limbs did spare Great shame and sorrow of that fall he tooke For neuer yet sith warlike armes he bore And shiuering speare in bloody field first shooke He fownd him selfe dishonored so sore Ah gentlest knight that euer armor bore Let not the grieue dismounted to haue beene And brought to grownd that neuer wast before For not thy fault but secret powre vnseene That speare enchaunted was which layd thee on the greene But weenedst thou what wight thee ouerthrew Much greater griefe and shamefuller regrett For thy hard fortune then thou wouldst renew That of a single damzell thou wert mett On equall plaine and there so hard besett Euen the famous Britomart it was Whom straunge aduentnre did from Britayne fett To seeke her louer loue far sought alas Whose image shee had seene in Venus looking glas Full of disdainefull wrath he fierce vprose For to reuenge that fowle reprochefull shame And snatching his bright sword began to close With her on foot and stoutly forward came Dye rather would he then endure that same Which when his Palmer saw he gan to feare His toward perill and vntoward blame Which by that new rencounter he should reare For death sate on the point of that enchaunted speare And hasting towards him gan fayre perswade Not to prouoke misfortune nor to weene His speares default to mend with cruell blade For by his mightie Science he had seene The secrete vertue of that weapon keene That mortall puissaunce mote not withstond Nothing on earth mote alwaies happy beene Great hazard were it and aduenture fond To loose long gotten honour with one euill hond By such good meanes he him discounselled From prosecuting his reuenging rage And eke the Prince like treaty handeled His wrathfull will with reason to aswage And laid the blame not to his carriage But to his starting steed that swaru'd asyde And to the ill purueyaunce of his page That had his furnitures not firmely tyde So is his angry corage fayrly pacifyde Thus reconcilement was betweene them knitt Through goodly temperaunce and affection chaste And either vowd with all their power and witt To let not others honour be defaste Offriend or foe who euer it embaste Ne armes to beare against the others syde In which accord the Prince was also plaste And with that golden chaine of concord tyde So goodly all agreed they forth yfere did ryde O goodly vsage of those antique tymes In which the sword was seruaunt vnto right When not for malice and contentious crymes But all for prayse and proofe of manly might The martiall brood accustomed to fight
Then honour was the meed of victory And yet the vanquished had no despight Let later age that noble vse enuy Vyle rancor to avoid and cruel surquedry Long they thus traueiled in friendly wise Through countreyes waste and eke welledifyde Seeking aduentures hard to exercise Their puissaunce whylome full dernly tryde At length they came into a forest wyde Whose hideous horror and sad trembling sownd Full griesly seemd Therein they long did ryde Yet tract of liuing creature none they fownd Saue Beares Lyons Buls which romed them arownd All suddenly out of the thickest brush Vpon a milkwhite Palfrey all alone A goodly Lady did foreby them rush Whose face did seeme as cleare as Christall stone And eke through feare as white as whales bone Her garments all were wrought of beaten gold And all her steed with tinsell trappings shone Which fledd so fast that nothing mote him hold And scarse them leasure gaue her passing to behold Still as she fledd her eye she backward threw As fearing euill that poursewd her fast And her faire yellow locks behind her flew Loosely disperst with puff of euery blast All as a blazing starre doth farre outcast His hearie beames and flaming lockes dispredd At sight whereof the people stand aghast But the sage wisard telles as he has redd That it importunes death and dolefull dreryhedd So as they gazed after her a whyle Lo where a griesly foster forth did rush Breathing out beastly lust her to defyle His tyreling Iade he fiersly forth did push Through thicke and thin both ouer banck and bush In hope her to attaine by hooke or crooke That from his gory sydes the blood did gush Large were his 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 enuy 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 behynd 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 corage and stout hardiment Ne euil thing she feard ne euill thing she ment At last as nigh out of the wood she came A stately Castle far 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 playne Mantled with greene it selfe did spredden wyde On which she saw six knights that did darrayne Fiers battaill against one with cruel might and mayne Mainely they all attonce vpon him laid And sore beset on euery side arownd That nigh he breathlesse grew yet nought dismaid Ne euer to them yielded foot of grownd All had he lost much blood through many a wownd But stoutly dealt his blowes and euery way To which he turned in his 〈◊〉 stownd Made them recoile and fly from dredd decay That none of all the six 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 apace Vnto his reskew and with earnest cry Badd 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 rownd 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 six 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 grownd Ne list me chaunge she th' Errant damzell hight For whose deare sake full many a bitter stownd I haue endurd and tasted many a bloody wownd Certes said she then beene ye sixe to blame To weene your wrong by force to iustify For knight to leaue his Lady were great shame That faithfull is and better were to dy All losse is lesse and lesse the infamy Then losse of loue to him that loues but one Ne may loue be compeld by maistery For soone as maistery comes sweet loue anone Taketh his nimble winges and soone away is gone Then spake one of those six There dwelleth here Within this castle wall a Lady fayre Whose soueraine beautie hath no liuing pere Thereto so bounteous and so debonayre That neuer any mote with her compayre She hath ordaind this law which we approue That euery knight which doth this way repayre In case he haue no Lady nor no loue Shall doe vnto her seruice neuer to remoue But if he haue a Lady or a Loue Then must he her forgoe with fowle defame Or els with vs by dint of sword approue That she is fairer then our fairest Dame As did this knight before ye hether came Perdy said Britomart the choise is hard But what reward had he that ouercame He should aduaunced bee 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 wronges 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 sayd 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 saide they and proue too well Our faulty weakenes 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 liegemen 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 commun name Where they were entertaynd with courteous And comely glee of many gratious Faire Ladies and of 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 roiall riches and exceeding cost Of euery pillour and of euery post Which all of purest bullion framed were And with great perles and pretious stones embost That the bright glister of their beames cleare Did sparckle forth great light and glorious did appeare These stranger 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 superstuous riotize Exceeding much the state of meane degree They greatly wondred whence so sumpteous guize Might be maintaynd and each gan diuersely deuize The wals were round about appareiled With costly clothes of Arras and of Toure In which with cunning hand was pourtrahed The loue of Venus and her Paramoure The fayre 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 with what sleights and sweet allurements she Entyst the Boy as well that art she knew And wooed him her Paramoure to bee Now making girlonds of each flowre that grew To crowne his golden lockes with honour dew Now leading him into a secret shade From his Beauperes and from bright heauens vew Where him to sleepe she gently would perswade Or bathe him in a fountaine by some couert glade And whilst he slept she ouer him would spred Her mantle colour'd like the starry skyes And her soft arme lay vnderneath his hed And with ambrosiall kisses bathe his eyes And whilst he bath'd with her two crafty spyes She secretly would search each daintie lim And throw into the well sweet Rosemaryes And fragrant violets and Paunces trim And euer with sweet Nectar she did sprinkle him So did she steale his heedelesse hart away And ioyd his loue in secret vnespyde But for she saw him bent to cruell play To hunt the saluage beast in forrest wyde Dreadfull of daunger that mote him betyde She oft and oft aduiz'd him to refraine From chase of greater beastes whose brutish pryde Mote breede him scath vnwares but all in vaine For who can shun the chance that dest'ny doth ordaine Lo where beyond he lyeth languishing Deadly engored of a great wilde Bore And by his side the Goddesse groueling Makes for him endlesse mone and euermore With her soft garment wipes away the gore Which staynes his snowy skin with hatefull hew But when she saw no helpe might him restore Him to a 〈◊〉 flowre she did transmew Which in that cloth was wrought as if it liuely grew So was that chamber clad in goodly wize And rownd about it many beds were dight As whylome was the antique worldes guize Some for vntimely ease some for delight As pleased them to vse that vse it might And all was full of Damzels and of 〈◊〉 Dauncing and reueling both day and night And swimming deepe in sensuall desyres And Cupid still emongest them kindled lustfull fyres And all the while sweet Musicke did diuide Her looser notes with Lydian harmony And all the while sweet birdes thereto applide Their daintie layes and dulcet melody Ay caroling of loue and iollity That wonder was to heare their 〈◊〉 consort Which when those knights beheld with scornefull eye They sdeigned such lasciuious disport And loath'd the loose demeanure of that wanton sort Thence they were brought to that great Ladies vew Whom they found sitting on a sumptuous bed That glistred all with gold and glorious shew As the proud Persian Queenes accustomed She seemd a woman of great bountihed And of rare beautie sauing that askaunce Her wanton eyes ill signes of womanhed Did roll too highly and too often glaunce Withoutregard of grace or comely amenaunce Long worke it were and needlesse to deuize Their goodlv entertainement and great glee She caused them be led in courteous wize Into a bowre disarmed for to be And cheared well with wine and spicerce The Redcrosse Knight was soone disarmed there But the braue Mayd would not disarmed bee But onely vented vp her vmbriere And so did let her goodly visage to appere Asn when fayre Cynthia in darkesome night Is in a noyous cloud enueloped Where she may finde the substance thin and light Breakes forth her siluer beames and her bright hed Discouers to the world discomfited Of the poore traueiler that went astray With thousand blessings she is heried Such was the beautie and the shining ray With which 〈◊〉 Britomart gaue light vnto the day And eke those six which lately with her fought Now were disarmd and did them selues present Vnto her vew and company vnsought For they all seemed courteous and gent And all sixe brethren borne of one parent Which had them traynd in all ciuilitee And goodly taught to tilt and turnament Now were they liegmen to this Ladie free And her knights seruice ought to hold of her in see The first of them by name Gardante hight A iolly person and of comely vew The second was Parlante a bold knight And next to him Iocante did ensew Basciante did him selfe most courteous shew But fierce Bacchante seemd too fell and keene And yett in armes Noctante greater grew All were faire knights and goodly well beseene But to faire Britomart they all but shadowes beene For shee was full of amiable grace And manly terror mixed therewithall That as the one stird vp affections bace So th' other did mens rash desires apall And hold them backe that would in error fall As hee that hath espide a vermeill Rose To which sharpe thornes and breres the way forstall Dare not for dread his hardy hand expose But wishing it far off his ydle wish doth lose Whom when the Lady saw so faire a wight All ignorant of her contrary sex For shee her weend a fresh and lusty knight Shee greatly gan enamoured to wex And with vaine thoughts her falsed fancy vex Her fickle hart conceiued hasty fyre Like sparkes of fire that fall in sclender flex That shortly brent into extreme desyre And ransackt all her veines with passion entyre Eftsoones shee grew to great impatience And into termes of open outrage brust That plaine discouered her incontinence Ne reckt shee who her meaning did mistrust For she was giuen all to fleshly lust
And poured forth in sensuall delight That all regard of shame she had discust And meet respect of honor putt to flight So shamelesse beauty soone becomes a loathly sight Faire Ladies that to loue captiued arre And chaste desires doe nourish in your mind Let not her fault your sweete affections marre Ne blott the bounty of all womankind 'Mongst thousands good one wanton Dame to find Emongst the Roses grow some wicked weeds For this was not to loue but lust inclind For loue does alwaies bring forth bounteous deeds And in each gentle hart desire of honor breeds Nought so of loue this looser Dame did skill But as a cole to kindle fleshly flame Giuing the bridle to her wanton will And treading vnder foote her honest name Such Ioue is hate and such desire is shame Still did she roue at her with crafty glaunce Of her false 〈◊〉 that at her hart did ayme And told her meaning in her countenaunce But Britomart dissembled it with ignoraunce Supper was shortly dight and downe they satt Where they were serued with all sumptuous fare Whiles fruitfull Ceres and Lyaeus fatt Pourd out their plenty without spight or spare Nought wanted there that dainty was and rare And aye the cups their bancks did ouerflow And aye betweene the cups she did prepare Way to her loue and secret darts did throw But Britomart would not such guilfull message know So 〈◊〉 they slaked had the feruent heat Of appetite with meates of euery sort The Lady did faire Britomart entreat Her to disarme and with delightfull sport To loose her warlike limbs and strong effort But when shee mote not thereunto be wonne For shee her sexe vnder that straunge 〈◊〉 Did vse to hide and plaine apparaunce shonne In playner wise to 〈◊〉 her grieuaunce she begonne And all attonce discouered her desire With sighes and sobs and plaints piteous griese The outward sparkes 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 burning fire Which spent in vaine at last she told her briefe That but if she did lend her short reliefe And doe her comfort she mote 〈◊〉 dye But the chaste damzell that had neuer priefe Of such malengine and fine 〈◊〉 Did easely beleeue her strong extremitye Full easy was for her to haue beliefe Who by self-feeling of her feeble sexe And by long triall of the inward griefe Where with imperious loue her hart did vexe Could iudge what paines doe louing harts 〈◊〉 Who meanes no guile be-guiled 〈◊〉 shall And to faire semblaunce doth light faith annexe The 〈◊〉 that knowes not the faise fowlers call Into his hidden nett full easely doth fall For thy she 〈◊〉 not in discourteise 〈◊〉 Scorne the saire offer of good will 〈◊〉 For great rebuke it is lone to despise Or rudely fdeigne a gentle harts request But with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as beseemed 〈◊〉 Her entertaynd nath ' lesse shee inly deemd Her loue too light to wooe a wandring guest Which she 〈◊〉 thereby esteemd That from like inward fire that outward smoke had steemd Therewith a while she her flit fancy fedd Till she mote winne fit time for her desire But yet her wound still inward freshly bledd And through her bones the false instilled fire Did spred it selfe and venime close inspire Tho were the tables taken all away And euery knight and euery gentle Squire Gan choose his dame with 〈◊〉 gay With whom he ment to make his sport courtly play Some fell to daunce some fel to hazardry Some to make loue some to make meryment As diuerse witts to 〈◊〉 things apply And all the while faire Malecasta bent Her crafty engins to her close intent By this th' eternall lampes wherewith high Ioue Doth light the lower world were halfe yspent And the moist daughters of huge Atlas stroue Into the Ocean deepe to driue their weary droue High time it seemed then for euerie wight Them to betake vnto their kindly rest Eftesoones long waxen torches weren light Vnto their bowres to guyden euery guest Tho when the Britonesse saw all the rest Auoided quite she gan her selfe despoile And safe committ to her soft fethered nest Wher through long watch late daies weary toile She soundly slept carefull thoughts did quite assoile Now whenas all the world in silence deepe Y shrowded was and euery mortall wight Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleepe Faire Malecasta whose engrieued spright Could find no rest in such perplexed plight Lightly arose out of her wearie bed And vnder the blacke vele of guilty Night Her with a scatlott mantle couered That was with gold and Ermines faire enueloped Then panting softe and trembling euery ioynt Her fearfull feete towards the bowre she mou'd Where she for secret purpose did appoynt To lodge the warlike maide vnwisely loou'd And to her bed approching first she proou'd Whether she slept or 〈◊〉 with her softe hand She softely felt if any member moou'd And lent 〈◊〉 weary eare to vnderstand If any puffe of breath or signe of sence shee fond Which whenas none she fond with easy shifte For feare least her vnwares she should abrayd Th'embroderd quilt she lightly vp did lifte And by her side her selfe she softly layd Of euery finest fingers touch affrayd Ne any noise she made ne word she spake But inly sigh'd At last the royall Mayd Out of her quiet slomber did awake And chaungd her weary side the better ease to take Where feeling one close couched by her side She lightly lept out of her filed bedd And to her weapon ran in minde to gride The loathed leachour But the Dame halfe dedd Through suddein feare and ghastly drerihedd Did shrieke alowd that through the hous it rong And the whole family there with adredd Rashly 〈◊〉 of their rouzed couches sprong And to the troubled chamber all in armes did throng And those sixe knights that ladies Champions And eke the Redcrosse knight ran to the stownd Halfe armd and halfe vnarmd with them 〈◊〉 Where when confusedly they came they fownd Their lady lying on the sencelesse grownd On thother side they saw the warlike Mayd Al in her snow-white smocke with locks vnbownd Threatning the point of her auenging blaed That with so troublous terror they were all dismayd About their Ladye first they flockt arownd Whom hauing laid in comfortable couch Shortly they reard out of her frosen swownd And after wardes they gan with fowle reproch To stirre vp strife and troublous contecke broch But by ensample of the last dayes losse None of them rashly durst to her approch Ne in so glorious spoile themselues embosse Her succourd eke the Champion of the bloody Crosse. But one of those sixe knights Gardante hight Drew out a deadly bow and arrow keene Which forth he sent with felonous despight And fell 〈◊〉 against the virgin sheene The mortall steele stayd not till it was seene To gore her side yet was the wound not deepe But lightly rased her soft silken skin That drops of purple blood thereout did weepe Which did her lilly smock with staines
of vermeil steep Where with enrag'd she fiercely at them flew And with her flaming sword about her layd That none of them foule mischiefe could eschew But with her dreadfull strokes were all dismayd Here there and euery where about her swayd Her wrathfull steele that none mote it abyde And eke the Redcrosse knight gaue her good ayd Ayioyning foot to foot and syde to syde That in short space their foes they haue quite terrifyde Tho whenas all were put to shamefull flight The noble Britomartis her arayd And her bright armes about her body dight For nothing would she lenger there be stayd Where so loose life and so vngende trade Was vsd of knighcs and Ladies seeming gent So earely ere the grosse Earthes gryesy shade Was all disperst out of the firmament They tooke their steeds forth vpō their iourney went Cant. II. The Redcrosse knight to Britomart describeth Artegall The wondrous myrrhour by which she in loue with him did fall HEre haue I cause in men iust blame to find That in their proper praise too partiall bee And not indifferent to woman kind To whom no share in armes and cheualree They doe impart ne maken memoree Of their braue gestes and prowesse martiall Scarse doe they spare to one or two or three Rowme in their writtes yet the same writing small Does all their deedes deface and dims their glories all But by record of antique times I finde That wemen wont in warres to beare most sway And to all great exploites them selues inclind Of which they still the girlond bore away Till enuious Men fearing their rules decay Gan coyne streight lawes to curb their liberty Yet sith they warlike armes haue laide away They haue exceld in artes and pollicy That now we foolish men that prayse gin eke t'enuy Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent Be thou faire Britomart whose prayse I wryte But of all wisedom bee thou precedent O soueraine Queene whose prayse I would endyte Endite I would as dewtie doth excyte But ah my rymes to rude and rugged arre When in so high an obiect they doe lyte And striuing fit to make I feare doe marre Thy selfe thy prayses tell and make them knowen farre She traueiling with Guyon by the way Of sondry thinges faire purpose gan to find T'abridg their iourney long and lingring day Mongst which it fell into that Fairies mind To aske this Briton Maid what vncouth wind Brought her into those partes and what inquest Made her dissemble her disguised kind Faire Lady she him seemd like Lady drest But fairest knight aliue when armed was her 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 fitt 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 Of lightning through bright heuen 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 delight on deedes of armes is sett To hunt out perilles and aduentures hard By sea by land where so they may be mett Onely for honour and for high regard Without respect of richesse or reward For such intent into these partes I came Withouten compasse or withouten card Far fro my natiue soyle that is by name The greater Brytayne here to seeke for praise and fame Fame blazed hath that here in Faery lond Doe many famous knightes and Ladies wonne And many straunge aduentures to bee fond Of which great worth and worship may be wonne Which to proue I this voyage haue begonne But mote I weet of you right courteous 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 vptaking ere the fall Her shortly answered Faire martiall Mayd Certes ye misauised 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 doe that mote deseruen blame The noble corage neuer weeneth ought That may vnworthy of itselfe 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 Maid woxeinly wondrous glad To heare her Loue so highly magnifyde And ioyd that euer she affixed had Her hart on knight so goodly glorifyde How euer finely she it faind to hyde The louing mother that nine monethes did beare In the deare closett of her painefull syde 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 humor with his pleasing style Her list in stryfull termes with him to balke And thus replyde How euer Sir ye fyle Your courteous tongue his prayses to compyle It ill beseemes a knight of gentle sort Such as ye haue him boasted to beguyle A simple maide and worke so hainous tort In shame of knighthood as I largely can report Let bee 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 mollify your mind Said he perhaps ye should it better find For hardie thing it is to weene by might That man to hard conditions to bind Or euer hope to match in equall fight Whose prowesse paragone saw neuer liuing 〈◊〉 Ne soothlich is it easie for to read Where now on earth or how he may be fownd For he ne wonneth in one certeine stead But restlesse walketh all the world arownd Ay doing thinges that to his fame redownd Defending Ladies cause and Orphans right Where so he heares that any doth confownd Them comfortlesse through tyranny or might So is his soueraine honour raisde to heuens hight His feeling wordes 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 wordes are like to Magick art That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay Such secrete ease felt gentle Britomart Yet list the same efforce with faind gainesay So dischord ofte in Musick makes the sweeter lay And sayd
Sir knight these ydle termes forbeare And sith it is vneath to finde his haunt Tell me some markes by which he may appeare If chaunce I him encounter parauaunt For perdy one shall other slay or daunt What shape what 〈◊〉 what armes what steed what stedd And what so else his person most may vaunt All which the Redcrosse knight to point aredd And him in euerie part before her fashioned Yet him in euerie part before she knew How euer list her now her knowledge fayne Sith him whylome in Brytayne she did vew To her reuealed in a mirrhour playne Whereof did grow her first engraffed payne Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did taste That but the fruit more sweetnes did contayne Her wretched dayes in dolour she mote waste And yield the pray of loue to lothsome death at last By straunge occasion she did him behold And much more straungely gan to loue his sight As it in bookes hath written beene of old In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight What time king Ryence raign'd and dealed right The great Magitien Merlin had deuiz'd By his deepe science and hell-dreaded might A looking glasse right wondrously aguiz'd Whose vertues through the wyde worlde 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 heuens 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 seemd a world of glas Who wonders not that reades so wonderous worke 〈◊〉 who does wonder that has red the Towre Wherein th' Aegyptian Phao long did lurke From all mens vew that none might her discoure Yet she might all men vew out of her bowre Great Ptolomaee it for his lemans sake Ybuilded all of glasse by Magicke powre And also it impregnable did make Yet when his loue was false he with a peaze it brake Such was the glassy globe that Merlin made And gaue vnto king Ryence for his gard That neuer foes his kingdome might inuade But he it knew at home before he hard Tydings thereof and so them still debar'd It was a famous Present for a Prince And worthy worke of infinite reward That treasons could bewray and foes conuince Happy this Realme had it remayned euer since One day it fortuned fayre Britomart Into her fathers closet to repayre For nothing he from her reseru'd apart Being his onely daughter and his hayre Where when she had espyde that mirrhour fayre Her selfe awhile therein she vewd in vaine Tho her auizing of the vertues rare Which thereof spoken were she gan againe Her to bethinke of that 〈◊〉 to her selfe pertaine But as it falleth in the gentlest harts Imperious Loue hath highest set his throne And tyrannizeth in the bitter smarts Of them that to him buxome are and prone So thought this Mayd as maydens vse to done Whom fortune for her husband would allot Not that she lusted after any one For she was pure from blame of sinfull blot Yet wist her life at last must lincke in that same knot Eftsoones there was presented to her eye A comely knight all arm'd in complete wize Through whose bright ventayle lifted vp on hye His manly face that did his foes agrize And frends to termes of gentle truce entize Lookt foorth as Phoebus face out of the 〈◊〉 Betwixt two shady mountaynes doth arize Portly his person was and much increast Through his Heroicke grace and honorable gest His crest was couered with a couchant Hownd And all his armour seemd of antique mould But wondrous massy and assured sownd And round about yfretted all with gold In which there written was with cyphres old Achilles armes which Arthogall did win And on his shield enueloped seuenfold He bore a crowned litle Ermilin That deckt the azure field with her fayre pouldred skin The Damzell well did vew his Personage And liked well ne further fastned not But went her way ne her 〈◊〉 age Did weene vnwares that her vnlucky lot Lay hidden in the 〈◊〉 of the pot Of hurt vnwist most daunger doth redound But the false Archer which that arrow shot So slyly that she did not feele the wound Did smyle full smoothly at her weetlesse wofull stound Thenceforth the fether in her lofty crest Ruffed of loue gan lowly to auaile And her prowd portaunce and her princely gest With which she earst tryumphed now did quaile Sad solemne sowre and full of fancies fraile She woxe yet wist she nether how nor why She wist not silly Mayd what she did aile Yet wist she was not well at ease perdy Yet thought it was not loue but some melancholy So soone as Night had with her pallid hew Defaste the beautie of the shyning skye And reft from men the worldes desired vew She with her Nourse adowne to sleepe did lye But sleepe full far away from her did fly In stead thereof sad sighes and sorrowes deepe Kept watch and ward about her warily That nought she did but wayle and often steepe Her dainty couch with teares which closely she did 〈◊〉 And if that any drop of slombring rest Did chaunce to still into her weary spright When feeble nature felt her selfe opprest Streight way with dreames and with fantastick sight Of dreadfull things the same was put to flight That oft out of her bed she did astart As one with vew of ghastly feends affright Tho gan she to renew her former smart And thinke of that fayre visage written in her hart One night when she was tost with such vnrest Her aged Nourse whose name was Glauce hight Feeling her leape out of her loathed nest Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight And downe againe her in her warme bed dight Ah my deare daughter ah my dearest dread What vncouth fit sayd she what euill plight Hath thee opprest and with sad dreary head Chaunged thy liuely cheare liuing made thee dead For not of nought these suddein ghastly feares All night afflict thy naturall repose And all the day when as thine equall peares Their fit disports with faire delight doe chose Thou in dull corners doest thy selfe inclose Ne tastest Princes pleasures ne doest spred Abroad thy fresh youths fayrest flowre but lose Both leafe and fruite both too vntimely shed As one in wilfull bale for euer buried The time that mortall men their weary cares Do lay away and all wilde beastes do rest And euery riuer eke his course forbeares Then doth this wicked euill thee infest And riue with thousand throbs thy thrilled brest Like an huge Aetn ' of deepe engulfed gryefe Sorrow is heaped in thy hollow chest Whence foorth it breakes in sighes and anguish ryfe As smoke and sulphure mingled with confufed stryfe Ay me how much I feare least loue it bee But if that loue it be as sure I read By knowen
Fowle horror and eke hellish dreriment All these I wote in thy protection bee And light doe shonne for feare of being shent For lighty like is loth'd of them and thee And all that lewdnesse loue doe hate the light to see For day discouers all dishonest wayes And sheweth each thing as it is in deed The prayses of high God he faire displayes And his large bountie rightly doth areed The children of day be the blessed seed Which darknesse shall subdue and heauen win Truth is his daughter he her first did breed Most sacred virgin without spot of sinne Our life is day but death with darknesse doth begin O when will day then turne to me againe And bring with him his long expected light O Titan hast to reare thy ioyous waine Speed thee to spred abroad thy beames bright And chace away this too long lingring night Chace her away from whence she came to hell She she it is that hath me done despight There let her with the damned spirits dwell And yield her ro wme to day that can it gouerne well Thus did the Prince that wearie night outweare In restlesse anguish and vnquiet paine And earely ere the morrow did vpreare His deawy head out of the Ocean maine He vp arose as halfe in great disdaine And clombe vnto his steed So forth he went With heauy looke and lumpish pace that plaine In him bewraid great grudge and maltalent His steed eke seemd t' apply his steps to his intent Cant. V. Prince Arthur heares of Florimell three fosters Timias wound Belphebe findes him almost dead and reareth out of sownd WOnder it is to see in diuerse mindes How diuersly loue doth his pageaunts play And shewes his powre in variable kindes The baser wit whose ydle thoughts alway Are wont to cleaue vnto the lowly clay It stirreth vp to sensuall desire And in lewd slouth to wast his carelesse day But in braue sprite it kindles goodly fire That to all high desert and honour doth aspire Ne suffereth it vncomely idlenesse In his free thought to build her sluggish nest Ne suffereth it thought of vngentlenesse Euer to creepe into his noble brest But to the highest and the worthiest Lifteth it vp that els would lowly fall It lettes not fall it lettes it not to rest It lettes not scarse this Prince to breath at all But to his first poursuit him forward still doth call Who long time wandred through the forest wyde To finde some issue thence till that at last He met a Dwarfe that seemed terrifyde With some late perill which he hardly past Or other accident which him aghast Of whom he asked whence he lately came And whether now he traueiled so fast For sore he swat and ronning through that same Thicke forest was bescracht both his feet nigh lame Panting for breath and almost out of hart The Dwarfe him answerd Sir ill 〈◊〉 I stay To tell the same I lately did depart From Faery court where I haue many a day Serued a gentle Lady of greatsway And high accompt through out all Elfin land Who lately left the same and tooke this way Her now I seeke and if ye vnderstand Which way she fared hath good Sir tell out of hand What mister wight saide he and how arayd Royally clad quoth he in cloth of gold As meetest may beseeme a noble mayd Her faire lockes in rich circlet be enrold A fayrer wight did neuer Sunne behold And on a Palfrey rydes more white then snow Yet she her selfe is whiter manifold The surest signe whereby ye may her know Is that she is the fairest wight aliue I trow Now certes swaine saide he such one I weene Fast flying through this forest from her fo A foule ill fauoured foster I haue seene Her selfe well as I might I reskewd tho But could not stay so fast she did foregoe Carried away with wings of speedy feare Ah dearest God quoth he that is great woe And wondrous ruth to all that shall it heare But can ye read Sir how I may her finde or where Perdy me leuer were to weeten that Saide he then ransome of the richest knight Or all the good that euer yet I gat But froward fortune and too forward Night Such happinesse did maulgre to me spight And fro me reft both life and light attone But Dwarfe aread what is that Lady bright That through this forrest wandreth thus alone For of her errour straunge I haue great ruth and mone That Ladie is quoth he where so she bee The bountiest virgin and most debonaire That euer liuing eye I weene did see Liues none this day that may with her compare In stedfast chastitie and vertue rare The goodly ornaments of beautie bright And is ycleped Florimell the fayre Faire Florimell belou'd of many a knight Yet she loues none but one that Marinell is hight A Sea-nymphes sonne that Marinell is hight Of my deare Dame is loued dearely well In other none but him she sets delight All her delight is set on Marinell But he sets nought at all by Florimell For Ladies loue his mother long ygoe Did him they say forwarne through sacred spell But fame now flies that of a forreine foe He is yslaine which is the ground of all our woe Fiue daies there be since he they say was slaine And fowre since Florimell the Court forwent And vowed neuer to returne againe Till him aliue or dead she did inuent Therefore faire Sir for loue of knighthood gent And honour of trew Ladies if ye may By your good counsell or bold hardiment Or succour her or me direct the way Do one or other good I you most humbly pray So may ye gaine to you full great renowme Of all good Ladies through the world so wide And haply in her hart finde highest rowme Of whom ye seeke to be most magnifide At least eternall meede shall you abide To whom the Prince Dwarfe comfort to thee take For till thou tidings learne what her betide I here auow thee neuer to forsake Ill weares he armes that nill them vse for Ladies sake So with the Dwarfe he backe retourn'd againe To seeke his Lady where he mote her finde But by the way he greatly gan complaine The want of his good Squire late left behinde For whom he wondrous pensiue grew in minde For doubt of daunger which mote him betide For him he loued aboue all mankinde Hauing him trew and faithfull euer tride And bold as euer Squyre that waited by knights side Who all this while full hardly was assayd Of deadly daunger which to him betidd For whiles his Lord pursewd that noble Mayd After that foster fowle he fiercely ridd To bene auenged of the shame he did To that faire Damzell Him he chaced long Through the thicke woods wherein he would haue hid His shamefull head from his auengement strong And oft him threatned death for his outrageous wrong Nathlesse the villein sped himselfe so well Whether through swiftnesse of his speedie beast Or
frosen members did remaine And feeling by his pulses beating rife That the weake sowle her seat did yett retaine She cast to comfort him with busy paine His double folded necke she reard vpright And rubd his temples and each trembling vaine His mayled haberieon she did vndight And from his head his heauy burganet did light Into the woods thence forth in haste shee went To seeke for hearbes that mote him remedy For shee of herbes had great in tendiment Taught of the Nymphe which from her infancy Her nourced had in trew Nobility There whether yt diuine Tobacco were Or Panachaea or Polygony Shee fownd and brought it to her patient deare Who al this while lay bleding out his hart-blood neare The soueraine weede betwixt two marbles plaine Shee pownded small and did in peeees bruze And then atweene her lilly handes twaine Into his wound the iuice thereof did scruze And round about as she could well it vze The flesh therewith shee suppled and did steepe T' abate all spasme and soke the swelling bruze And after hauing searcht the intuse deepe She with her scarf did bind the woūd frō cold to keepe By this he had sweet life recur'd agayne And groning inly deepe at last his eies His watry eies drizling like 〈◊〉 rayne He vp gan lifte toward the azure skies From whence descend all hopelesse remedies Therewith he sigh'd and turning him aside The goodly Maide ful of diuinities And gifts of heauenly grace he by him spide Her bow and gilden quiuer lying him beside Mercy deare Lord said he what grace is this That thou hast shewed to me sinfull wight To send thine Angell from her bowre of blis To comfort me in my distressed plight Angell or Goddesse doe I call thee right What seruice may I doe vnto thee meete That hast from darkenes me returnd to light And with thy heuenly 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 Wee mortall wights whose liues and fortunes 〈◊〉 To commun accidents stil open layd Are bownd with commun bond of frailtee To succor wretched wights whom we captiued see By this her Damzells which the former chace Had vndertaken after her arryu'd As did Belphoebe in the bloody place And thereby deemd the beast had bene depriu'd Of life whom late their ladies arrow ryu'd For thy the bloody tract they followd fast And euery one to ronne 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 wlth blood Defowled and their Lady dresse his wownd They wondred much and shortly vnderstood How him in deadly case theyr Lady fownd And reskewed out of the heauy stownd Estsoones his warlike courser which was strayd Farre in the woodes whiles that he lay in swownd She made those Damzels search which being stayd They did him set theron and forth with them conuayd Into that forest farre they thence him led Where was their dwelling in a pleasant glade With mountaines rownd about enuironed And mightie woodes 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 gētle mnrmure that their cours they did 〈◊〉 Beside the same a dainty place there lay Planted with mirtle trees and laurells greene In which the birds song many a louely lay Of gods high praise and of their sweet loues 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 al within most richly dight That greatest Princes liking it mote well delight Thether they brought that wounded Squyre and 〈◊〉 In easie couch his feeble limbes to rest He rested him a while and then the Mayd His readie wound with better 〈◊〉 new drest Daily she dressed him and did the best His grieuous hurt to guarish 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 recurd againe But hurt his hart the which before was sound Through an vnwary dart which did rebownd From her faire eyes and gratious countenaunce What bootes it him from death to be vnbownd To be captiued in endlesse duraunce Of sorrow and despeyre 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 playsters to his wownd she layd So still his Malady the more increast The whiles her matchlesse beautie him dismayd Ah God what other could he doe at least But loue so fayre a Lady that his life releast Long while he stroue in his corageous 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 soueraine bountie and celestiall hew The same to loue he strongly was constraynd But when his meane estate he did renew He from such hardy boldnesse was restraynd And of his lucklesse lott and cruell loue thus playnd Vnthankfull wretch said he is this the meed With which her souerain mercy thou do est quight Thy life she saued by her gratious deed But thou do est weene with villeinous despight To blott her honour and her heauenly light Dye rather dye then so disloyally Deeme of her high desert or seeme so light Fayre 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 doe then her loue therefore Sith I her dew reward cannot restore Dye rather dye and dying doe 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 heuens doe serue and sew Thou a meane Squyre of meeke and lowly place She heuenly 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 mightie ill Which as a victour proud gan ransack fast His inward partes and all
her fled as flit as ayery Doue And left her blisfull bowre of ioy aboue So from her often he had fled away When she for ought him sharpely did reproue And wandred in the world in straunge aray Disguiz'd in thousand shapes that none might him bewray Him for to seeke she left her heauenly hous The house of goodly formes and faire aspects Whence all the world deriues the glorious Features of beautie and all shapes select With which high God his workmanship hath deckt And searched euerie way through which his wings Had borne him or his tract she mote detect She promist kisses sweet and sweeter things Vnto the man that of him tydings to her brings First she him sought in Court where most he vs'd Whylome to haunt but there she found him not But many there she found which sore accus'd His falshood and with fowle infamous blot His cruell deedes and wicked wyles did spot Ladies and Lordes she euery where mote heare Complayning how with his empoysned shot Their wofull harts he wounded had whyleare And so had left them languishing twixt hope and feare She then the Cities sought from gate to gate And euerie one did aske did he him see And euerie one her answerd that too late He had him seene and felt the crueltee Of his sharpe dartes and whot artilleree And euery one threw forth reproches rife Of his mischieuous deedes and sayd That hee Was the disturber of all ciuill life The enimy of peace and authour of all strife Then in the countrey she abroad him sought And in the rurall cottages inquir'd Where also many plaintes to her were brought How he their hee 〈◊〉 harts with loue had fir'd And his false venim through their veines inspir'd And eke the gentle Shepheard swaynes which sat Keeping their fleecy flockes as they were hyr'd She sweetly heard complaine both how and what Her sonne had to them doen yet she did smile thereat But when in none of all these she him got She gan auize where els he mote him hyde At last she her bethought that she had not Yet sought the saluage woods and forests wyde In which full many louely Nymphes abyde Mongst whom might be that he did closely lye Or that the loue of some of them him tyde For thy she thether cast her course t' apply To search the secret haunts of Dianes company Shortly vnto the wastefull woods she came Whereas she found the Goddesse with her crew After late chace of their embrewed game Sitting beside a fountaine in a rew Some of them washing with the liquid dew From of their dainty limbs the dusty sweat And soyle which did deforme their liuely hew Others lay shaded from the scorching heat The rest vpon her person gaue attendance great She hauing hong vpon a bough on high Her bow and painted quiuer had vnlaste Her siluer buskins from her nimble thigh And her lanck loynes vngirt and brests vnbraste After her heat the breathing cold to taste Her golden lockes that late in tresses bright Embreaded were for hindring of her haste Now loose about her shoulders hong vndight And were with sweet Ambrosia all besprinckled light Soone as she Venus saw behinde her backe She was asham'd to be so loose surpriz'd And woxe halfe wroth against her damzels slacke That had not her there of before auiz'd But suffred her so carelesly disguiz'd Be ouertaken Soone her garments loose Vpgath'ring in her bosome she compriz'd Well as she might and to the Goddesse rose Whiles all her Nymphes did like a girlond her enclose Goodly she gan faire Cytherea greet And shortly asked her what cause her brought Into that wildernesse for her vnmeet From her sweete bowres and beds with pleasures fraught That suddein chaung she straung aduenture thought To whom halfe weeping she thus answered That she her dearest sonne Cupido sought Who in his frowardnes from her was fled That she repented sore to haue him angered Thereat Diana gan to smile in scorne Of her vaine playnt and to her scoffing sayd Great pitty sure that ye be so forlorne Of your gay sonne that giues ye so good ayd To your disports ill mote ye bene apayd But she was more engrieued and replide Faire sister ill beseemes itto vpbrayd A dolefull heart with so disdainfull pride The like that mine may be your paine another tide As you in woods and wanton wildernesse Your glory sett to chace the saluage beasts So my delight is all in ioyfulnesse In beds in bowres in banckets and in feasts And ill becomes you with your lofty creasts To scorne the ioy that Ioue is glad to seeke We both are bownd to follow heauens beheasts And tend our charges with obeisaunce meeke Spare gentle sister with reproch my paine to eeke And tell me if that ye my sonne haue heard To lurke emongst your Nimphes in secret wize Or keepe their cabins much I am affeard Least he like one of them him selfe disguize And turne his arrowes to their exercize So may he long him selfe full easie hide For he is faire and fresh in face and guize As any Nimphe let not it be enuide So saying euery Nimph full narrowly shee eide But Phoebe therewith sore was angered And sharply saide Goe Dame goe seeke your boy Where you him lately lefte in Mars his bed He comes not here we scorne his foolish ioy Ne lend we leisure to his idle toy But if I catch him in this company By Stygian lake I vow whose sad annoy The Gods doe dread he dearly shall abye I le clip his wanton wings that he no more shall flye Whom whenas Venus saw so sore displeasd Shee inly sory was and gan relent What shee had said so her she soone appeasd With sugred words and gentle blandishment From which a fountaine from her sweete lips went And welled goodly forth that in short space She was well pleasd and forth her damzells sent Thtough all the woods to search frō place to place If any tract of him or tidings they mote trace To search the God of loue her Nimphes she sent Throughout the wandring forest euery where And after them her selfe eke with her went To seeke the fugitiue So long they sought till they arriued were In that same shady couert whereas lay Faire Crysogone in slombry traunce whilere Who in her sleepe a wondrous thing to say Vnwares had borne two babes as faire as springing day Vnwares she them conceiud vnwares she bore She bore withouten paine that she conceiu'd Withouten pleasure ne her need implore Lucinaes aide which when they both perceiu'd They were through wonder nigh of sence bereu'd And gazing each on other nought bespake At last they both agreed her seeming grieu'd Out of her heauie swowne not to awake But from her louing side the tender babes to take Vp they them tooke eachone a babe vptooke And with them carried to be fostered Dame Phaebe to a Nymphe her babe betooke To be vpbrought in perfect Maydenhed And of herselfe her name Belphoebe red
There yet some say in secret he doesly Lapped in flowres and pretious spycery By her hid from the world and from the skill Of Stygian Gods which doe her loue enuy But she her selfe when euer that she will Possesseth him and of his sweetnesse takes her fill And sooth it seemes they say for he may not For euer dye and euer buried bee In balefull night where all thinges are forgot All be he subiect to mortalitie Yet is eterne in mutabilitie And by succession made perpetuall Transformed oft and chaunged diuerslie For him the Father of all formes they call Therfore needs mote he liue that liuing giues to all There now he liueth in eternall blis Ioying his goddesse and of her enioyd Ne feareth he henceforth that foe of his Which with his cruell tuske him deadly cloyd For that wilde Bore the which him once annoyd She firmely hath emprisoned for ay That her sweet loue his malice mote auoyd In a strong rocky Caue which is they say He wen vnderneath that Mount that none him losen may There now he liues in euerlasting ioy With many of the Gods in company Which thether haunt and with the winged boy Sporting him selfe in safe felicity Who when he hath with spoiles and cruelty Ransackt the world and in the wofull harts Of many wretches set his triumphes hye Thether resortes and laying his sad dartes Asyde with faire Adonis playes his wanton partes And his trew loue faire Psyche with him playes Fayre Psyche to him lately reconcyld After long troubles and vnmeet vpbrayes With which his mother Venus her reuyld And eke himselfe her cruelly exyld But now in stedfast loue and happy state She with him liues and hath him borne a chyld Pleasure that doth both gods and men aggrate Pleasure the daughter of Cupid and Psyche late Hether great Venus brought this infant fayre The yonger daughter of Chrysogonee And vnto Psyche with great trust and care Committed her yfostered to bee And trained vp in trew feminitee Who no lesse carefully her tendered Then her owne daughter Pleasure to whom shee Made her companion and her lessoned In all the lore of loue and goodly womanhead In which when she to perfect ripenes grew Of grace and beautie noble Paragone She brought her forth into the worldes vew To be th'ensample of true loue alone And Lodestarre of all chaste affection To all fayre Ladies that doe liue on grownd To Faery court she came where many one Admyrd her goodly haueour and fownd His feeble hart wide launch with loues cruel wownd But she to none of them her loue did cast Saue to the noble knight Sir Scudamore To whom her louing hart she linked fast In faithfull loue t' abide for euermore And for his dearest sake endured sore Sore trouble of an hainous enimy Who her would forced haue to haue for lore Her former loue and sted fast loialty As ye may elswhere reade that ruefull history But well I weene ye first desire to learne What end vnto that fearefull Damozell Which fledd so fast from that same foster stearne Whom with his brethren Timias slew befell That was to weet the goodly Florimell Who wandring for to seeke her louer deare Her louer deare her dearest Marinell Into misfortune fell as ye did heare And from Prince Arthure fled with wings of idle feare Cant. VII The witches sonne loues Florimell She flyes he faines to dy Satyrane saues the Sqnyre of Dames From Gynunt tyranny LIke as an Hynd forth singled from the heard That hath escaped from a rauenous beast Yet flyes away of her owne feete afeard And euery leafe that shaketh with the least Murmure of winde her terror hath encreast So fledd fayre Florimell from her vaine feare Long after she from perill was releast Each shade she saw and each noyse he did heare Did seeme to be the same which she eseapt whileare All that same euening 〈◊〉 in flying spent And all that night her course continewed Ne did shelet dull sleepe once to relent Nor wearinesse to slack her hast but fled Euer alike as if her former dred Were hard behind her ready to arrest And her white Palfrey hauing conquered The maistring raines out of her weary wrest Perforce her carried where euer he thought best So long as breath and hable puissaunce Did natiue corage vnto him supply His pace he freshly forward did aduaunce And carried her beyond all ieopardy But nought that wanteth rest can long aby He hauing through incessant traueill spent His force at last perforce adowne did ly Ne foot could further moue The Lady gent Thereat was suddein strook with great astonishment And forst t' alight on foot mote algates fare A traueiler vnwonted to such way Need teacheth her this lesson hard and rare That fortune all in equall launce doth sway And mortall miseries doth make her play So long she traueild till at length she came To an hilles side which did to her bewray A litle valley subiect to the same All couerd with thick woodes that quite it ouercame Through the tops of the high trees she did descry A litle smoke whose vapour thin and light Reeking aloft vprolled to the sky Which chearefull signe did send vnto her sight That in the same did wonne some liuing wight Eftsoones her steps she thereunto applyd And came at last in weary wretched plight Vnto the place to which her hope did guyde To finde some refuge there and rest her wearie syde There in a gloomy hollow glen she found A little cottage built of stickes and reedes In homely wize and wald with sods around In which a witch did dwell in loathly weedes And wilfull want all carelesse of her needes So choosing 〈◊〉 to abide Far from all neighbours that her diuelish deedes And hellish arts from people she might hide And hurt far off vnknowne whom euer she envide The Damzell there arriuing entred in Where sitting on the flore the Hag she found Busie as seein'd about some wicked gin Who soone as she beheld that suddein stound Lightly vpstarted from the dustie ground And with fell looke and hollow deadly gaze Stared on her awhile as one astound Ne had one word to speake for great amaze But shewd by outward signes that dread her sence did daze At last turning her feare to foolish wrath She askt what deuill had her thether brought And who she was and what vnwonted path Had guided her vnwelcomed vnsought To which the Damzell full of doubtfull thought Her mildly answer'd Beldame be not wroth With silly Virgin by aduenture brought Vnto your 〈◊〉 ignorant and loth That craue but rowme to rest while tempest ouerblo'th With that adowne out of her christall eyne Few trickling teares she softly forth let fall That like two orient perles did purely shyne Vpon her snowy cheeke and therewithall She sighed soft that none so bestiall Nor saluage hart but ruth of her sad plight Would make to melt or pitteously appall And that vile Hag all were her whole
delight In mischiefe was much moued at so pitteous fight And gan recomfort her in her rude wyse With 〈◊〉 compassion of her plaint Wiping the teares from her suffused eyes And bidding her sit downe to rest her faint And wearie limbs a while She nothing quaint Nors deignfull of so homely fashion Sith brought she was now to so hard constraint Sate downe vpon the dusty ground anon As glad of that small rest as Bird of tempest gon Tho gan she gather vp her garments rent And her loose lockes to dight in order dew With golden wreath and gorgeous ornament Whom such whenas the wicked Hag did vew She was astonisht at her heauenly hew And doubted her to deeme an earthly wight But or some Goddesse or of Dianes crew And thought her to adore with humble spright T' adore thing so diuine as beauty were but right This wicked woman had a wicked sonne The comfort of her age and weary dayes A laesy loord for nothing good to donne But stretched forth in ydlenesse alwayes Ne euer cast his mind to couet prayse Or ply him selfe to any honest trade But all the day before the sunny rayes He vs'd to slug or sleepe in slothfull shade Such laesinesse both lewd and poore attonce him made He comming home at vndertime there found The fayrest creature that he euer saw Sitting beside his mother on the ground The sight whereof did greatly him adaw And his 〈◊〉 thought with terrour and with aw So inly smot that as one which hath gaz'd On the bright Sunne vnwares doth soone withdraw His feeble eyne with too much brightnes daz'd So stared he on her and stood long while amaz'd Softly at last he gan his mother aske What mister wight that was and whence deriu'd That in so straunge disguizement there did maske And by what accident she there arriu'd But she as one nigh of her wits depriu'd With nought but ghastly lookes him answered Like to a ghost that lately is reuiu'd From Stygian shores where late it wandered So both at her and each at other wondered But the fayre Virgin 〈◊〉 so meeke and myld That she to them 〈◊〉 to embace Her goodly port and to their senses vyld Her gentle speach applyde that in short space She grew familiare in that desert place During which time the Chorle through her so kind And courteise vse conceiu'd affection bace And cast to loue her in his brutish mind No loue but brutish lust that was so beastly tind Closely the wicked flame his bowels brent And shortly grew into outrageous fire Yet had he not the hart nor hardiment As vnto her to vtter his desire His caytiue thought durst not so high aspire But with soft sighes and louely semblaunces He ween'd that his affection entire She should aread many resemblaunces To her he made and many kinde remembraunces Oft from the forrest wildings he did bring Whose sides empurpled were with 〈◊〉 And oft young birds which he had taught to sing His maistresse praises sweetly caroled Girlonds of flowres sometimes for her faire hed He fine would dight sometimes the squirrell wild He brought to her in bands as conpuered To be her thrall his fellow seruant vild All which she of him tooke with countenance meeke mild But past awhile when she fit season saw To leaue that desert mansion she cast In secret wize her selfe thence to withdraw For feare of mischiefe which she did forecast Might by the witch or by her sonne compast Her wearie Palfrey closely as she might Now well recouered after long repast In his proud furnitures she freshly dight His late miswandred wayes now to remeasure right And earely ere the dawning day appeard She forth issewed and on her iourney went She went in perill of each noyse affeard And of each shade that did it selfe present For still she feared to be ouerhent Of that vile hag or her vnciuile sonne Who when too late awaking well they kent That their fayre guest was gone they both begonne To make exceeding mone as they had beene vndonne But that lewd louer did the most lament For her depart that euer man did heare He knockt his brest with desperate intent And scratcht his face and with his teeth did teare His rugged flesh and rent his ragged heare That his sad mother seeing his sore plight Was greatly woe begon and gan to feare Least his fraile senses were emperisht quight And loue to frenzy turnd sith loue is franticke hight All wayes shee sought him to restore to plight With herbs with charms with coūsel with teares But tears nor charms nor herbs nor counsell might Asswage the fury which his entrails teares So strong is passion that no reason heares Tho when all other helpes she saw to faile She turnd her selfe backe to her wicked leares And by her diuelish arts thought to preuaile To bring her backe againe or worke her finall bale Estesoones out of her hidden caue she cald An hideous beast of horrible aspect That could the stoutest corage haue appald Monstrous mishapt and all his backe was spect With thousand spots of colours queint elect Thereto so swifte that it all beasts did pas Like neuer yet did liuing 〈◊〉 detect But likest it to an Hyena was That feeds on wemens flesh as others feede on gras It forth she cald and gaue it streight in charge Through thicke and thin her to poursew apace Ne once to stay to rest or breath at large Till her she had attaind and brought in place Or quite deuourd her beauties 〈◊〉 grace The Monster swifte as word that from her went Went forth in haste and did her footing trace So sure and swiftly through his perfect sent And passing speede that shortly he her ouerhent Whom when the fearefull Damzell nigh espide No need to bid her fast away to flie That vgly shape so sore her terrifide That it she shund no lesse then dread to die And her flitt Palfrey did so well apply His nimble feet to her conceiued feare That whilest his breath did strength to him supply From perill free he her away did beare But when his force gan faile his pace gan wex areare Which whenas she perceiu'd she was dismayd At that same last extremity ful sore And of her safety greatly grew afray d And now she gan approch to the sea shore As it befell that she could flie no more But yield her selfe to spoile of greedinesse Lightly she leaped as a wight forlore From her dull horse in desperate distresse And to her feet betooke her doubtfull sickernesse Not halfe so fast the wicked Myrrha fled From dread of her reuenging fathers hond Nor halfe so fast to saue her maydenhed Fled fearfull Daphne on th' AEgaean strond As Florimell fled from that Monster yond To reach the sea ere she of him were raught For in the sea to drowne her selfe she fond Rather then of the tyrant to be caught Thereto fear gaue her wings need her corage taught It fortuned high God did
other knight begonne To wex exceeding wroth and him aredd To turne his steede about or sure he should be dedd Sith then said Braggadochio needes thou wilt Thy daies abridge through proofe of puissaunce Turne we our steeds that both in equall tilt May meete againe and each take happy chaunce This said they both a furlongs mountenaunce Retird their steeds to ronne in euen race But Braggadochio with his bloody launce Once hauing turnd no more returnd his face But lefte his loue to losse and fled him selfe apace The knight him seeing flie had no regard Him to poursew but to the lady rode And hauing her from Trompart lightly reard Vpon his Courser sett the louely lode And with her fled away without abode Well weened he that fairest Florimell It was with whom in company he yode And so her selfe did alwaies to him tell So made him thinke him selfe in heuen that was in hell But Florimell her selfe was far away Driuen to great distresse by fortune straunge And taught the carefull Mariner to play Sith late mischaunce had her compeld to chaunge The land for sea at randon there to raunge Yett there that cruell Queene auengeresse Not satisfyde so far her to estraunge From courtly blis and wonted happinesse Did heape on her new waues of weary wretchednesse For being fled into the fishers bote For refuge from the Monsters cruelty Long so she on the mighty maine did flote And with the tide droue forward carelesly For th' ayre was milde and cleared was the skie And all his windes Dan Aeolus did keepe From stirring vp their stormy enmity As pittying to see her waile and weepe But all the while the fisher did securely sleepe At last when droncke with drowsinesse he woke And saw his drouer driue along the streame He was dismayd and thrise his brest he stroke For marueill of that accident extreame But when he saw that blazing beauties beame Which with rare light his bote did beautifye He marueild more and thought he yet did dreame Not well awakte or that some extasye Assotted had his sence or dazed was his eye But when her well auizing hee peceiu'd To be no vision nor fantasticke sight Great comfort of her presence he conceiu'd And felt in his old corage new delight To gin awake and stir his frosen spright Tho rudely askte her how she thether came Ah sayd she father I note read aright What hard misfortune brought me to this same Yet am I glad that here I now in fafety ame But thou good man sith far in sea we bee And the great waters gin apace to swell That now no more we can the mayn-land see Haue care I pray to guide the cock-bote well Least worse on sea then vs on land befell Thereat th' old man did nought but fondly grin And saide his boat the way could wisely tell But his deceiptfull eyes did neuer lin To looke on her faire face and marke her snowy skin The sight whereof in his congealed flesh Infixt such secrete sting of greedy lust That the drie withered stocke it gan refresh And kindled heat that soone in flame forth brust The driest wood is soonest burnt to dust Rudely to her he lept and his rough hand Where ill became him rashly would haue thrust But she with angry scorne him did withstond And shamefully reprou'd for his ru denes fond But he that neuer good nor maners knew Her sharpe rebuke full litle did esteeme Hard is to teach an old horse amble trew The inward smoke that did before but steeme Broke into open fire and rage extreme And now he strength gan adde vnto his will Forcyng to doe that did him fowle misseeme Beastly he threwe her downe ne car'd to spill Her garments gay with scales of fish that all did fill The silly virgin stroue him to withstand All that she might and him in vaine reuild Sheestrugled strongly both with foote and hand To saue her honor from that villaine vilde And cride to heuen from humane helpe exild O ye braue knights that boast this Ladies loue Where be ye now when she is nigh defild Of filthy wretch well may she you reproue Of falsehood or of slouth when most it may behoue But if that thou Sir Satyran didst weete Or thou Sir Peridure her sory state How soone would yee assemble many a fleete To fetch from sea that ye at land lost late Towres citties kingdomes ye would ruinate In your auengement and dispiteous rage Ne ought your burning fury mote abate But if Sir Calidore could it presage No liuing creature could his cruelty asswage But sith that none of all her knights is nye See how the heauens of voluntary grace And soueraine fauor towards chastity Doesuccor send to her distressed cace So much high God doth innocence embrace It fortuned whilest thus she stifly stroue And the wide sea importuned long space With shrilling shriekes Proteus abrode did roue Along the fomy waues driuing his finny droue Proteus is Shepheard of the seas of yore And hath the charge of Neptunes mighty heard An aged sire with head all frowy hore And sprinckled frost vpon his deawy beard Who when those pittifull outcries he heard Through all the seas so ruefully resownd His charett swifte in hast he thether steard Which with a teeme of scaly Phocas bownd Was drawne vpon the waues that fomed him arownd And comming to that Fishers wandring bote That 〈◊〉 at will withouten card or sayle He therein saw that yrkesome sight which smote Deepe indignation and compassion frayle Into his hart attonce streight did he hayle The greedy villein from his hoped pray Of which he now did very litle fayle And with his staffe that driues his heard astray Him bett fo sore that life and sence did much dismay The whiles the pitteous Lady vp did ryse Ruffled and fowly raid with filthy soyle And blubbred face with teares of her faire 〈◊〉 Her heart nigh broken was with weary toyle To saue her selfe from that outrageous spoyle But when she looked vp to weet what wight Had her from so infamous fact assoyld For shame but more for feare of his grim sight Downe in her lap she hid her face and lowdly shright Herselfe not saued yet from daunger dredd She thought but chaung'd from one to other feare Like as a fearefull partridge that is fledd From the sharpe hauke which her attached neare And fals to ground to seeke for succor theare Whereas the hungry Spaniells she does spye With greedy iawes her ready for to teare In such distresse and sad perplexity Was Florimell when Proteus she did see her by But he endeuored with speaches milde Her to recomfort and accourage bold Bidding her feare no more her foeman vilde Nor doubt himselfe and who he was her told Yet all that could not from affright her hold Ne to recomfort her at all preuayld For her faint hart was with the frosen cold Benumbd so inly that her wits nigh fayld And all her sences with abashment quite were
long these knightes discoursed diuerfly Of straunge affaires and noble hardiment Which they had past with mickle ieopardy That now the humid night was farforth spent And heuenly lampes were halfendeale ybrent Which th' old man seeing wel who too lōg though Euery discourse and euery argument Which by the houres he measured besought Them go to rest So all vnto their bowres were brought Cant. X. Paridell rapeth Hellenore Malbceco her poursewes Fynds emongst Satyres whence with him To turne she doth refuse THe morow next so soone as Phoebus Lamp Bewrayed had the world with early light And fresh Aurora had the shady damp Out of the goodly heuen amoued quight Faire Britomart and that same Faery knight Vprose forth on their iourney for to wend But Paridell complaynd that his late fight With Britomart so sore did him offend That ryde he could not till his hurts he did amend So foorth they far'd but he behind them stayd Maulgre his host who grudged griuously To house a guest that would be needes obayd And of his owne him left not liberty Might wanting measure moueth surquedry Two things he feared but the third was death That fiers youngmans vnruly maystery His money which he lou'd as liuing breath And his faire wife whom honest long he kept vneath But patience perforce he must abie What fortune and his fate on him will lay Fond is the feare that findes no remedie Yet warily he watcheth euery way By which he feareth euill happen may So th' euill thinkes by watching to preuent Ne doth he suffer her nor night nor day Out of his sight her selfe once to absent So doth he punish her and eke himselfe torment But Paridell kept better watch then hee A fit occasion for his turne to finde False loue why do men say thou canst not see And in their foolish fancy feigne thee blinde That with thy charmes the sharpest sight doest binde And to thy will abuse Thou walkest free And seest euery secret of the minde Thou seest all yet none at all sees thee All that is by the working of thy Deitee So perfect in that art was Paridell That he Malbeccoes halfen eye did wyle His halfen eye he wiled wondrous well And Hellenors both eyes did eke beguyle Both eyes and hart attonce during the whylc That he there soiourned his woundes to heale That Cupid selfe it seeing close did smyle To weet how he her loue away did steale And bad that none their ioyous treason should reueale The learned louer lost no time nor tyde That least auantage mote to him afford Yet bore so faire a sayle that none espyde His secret drift till he herlayd abord When so in open place and commune bord He fortun'd her to meet with commune speach He 〈◊〉 her yet bayted euery word That his vngentle hoste n'ote him appeach Of vile vngentlenesse or hospitages breach But when apart if euer her apart He found then his false engins fast he plyde And all the fleights vnbosomd in his hart He sigh'd he sobd he swownd he perdy dyde And cast himselfe on ground her fast besyde Tho when againe he him bethought to liue He wept and wayld and false laments belyde Saying but if she Mercie would him giue That he mote algates dye yet did his death forgiue And otherwhyles with amorous delights And pleasing toyes he would her entertaine Now singing sweetly to surprize her sprights Now making layes of loue and louers paine Bransles Ballads virelayes and verses vaine Oft purposes oft riddles he deuysd And thousands like which flowed in his braine With which he sed her fancy and entysd To take with his new loue and leaue her old despysd And euery where he might and euerie while He did her seruice dewtifull and sewd At hand with humble pride and pleasing guile So closely yet that none but she it vewd Who well perceiued all and all indewd Thus finely did he his false nets dispred With which he many weake harts had subdewd Of yore and many had ylike misled What wonder then if she were likewise carried No fort so fensible no wals so strong But that continuall battery will riue Or daily siege through dispuruayaunce long And lacke of reskewes will to parley driue And Peece that vnto parley eare will giue Will shortly yield it selfe and will be made The vassall of the victors will byliue That stratageme had oftentimes assayd This crafty Paramoure and now it plaine displayd For through his traines he her intrapped hath That she her loue and hatt hath wholy sold To him without regard of gaine or scath Or care of credite or of husband old Whom she hath vow'd to dub a fayre Cucquold Nought wants but time place which shortly shee Deuized hath and to her lover told It pleased well So well they both agree So readie rype to ill ill wemens counsels bee Darke was the Euening fit for louers stealth When chaunst Maelbecco busie be else where She to his closet went where all his wealth Lay hid thereof she countlesse summes did reare The which she meant away with her to beare The rest she fyr'd for sport or for despight As Hellene when she saw aloft appeare The Troiane flames and reach to heuens hight Did clap her hands and ioyed at that dolefull sight This second Helene fayre Dame Hcllenore The whiles her husband ran with sory haste To quench the flames which she had tyn'd before Laught at his foolish labour spent in waste And ran into her louers armes right fast Where streight embraced she to him did cry And call alowd for helpe ere helpe were past For lo that Guest did beare her forcibly And meant to rauish her that rather had to dy The wretched man hearing her call for ayd And ready seeing him with her to fly In his disquiet mind was much dismayd But when againe he backeward cast his eye And saw the wicked fire so furiously Consume his hart and scorch his Idoles 〈◊〉 He was therewith distressed diuersely Ne wist he how to turne nor to what place Was neuer wretched man in such a wofull cace Ay when to him she 〈◊〉 to her he turnd And left the fire loue money ouercame But when he marked how his money burnd He left his wife money did loue disclame Both was he loth to loose his loued Dame And loth to leaue his liefest pelfe behinde Yet sith he n'ote saue both he 〈◊〉 that same Which was the dearest to his dounghill minde The God of his desire the 〈◊〉 of misers blinde Thus whilest all things in troublous vprore were And all men busie to suppresse the flame The louing couple neede no reskew feare But leasure had and liberty to frame Their purpost flight free from all mens reclame And Night the patronesse of loue-stealth fayre Gaue them safe conduct till to end they came So beene they gone yfere a wanton payre Of louers loosely knit where list them to repayre Soone as the cruell flames yslaked were Malbecco seeing how his
the stubborne flames to yield him way But cruell Mulciber would not obay His threatfull pride but did the more augment His mighty rage and with imperious sway Him forst maulgre his fercenes to relent And backe retire all scorcht and pitifully brent With huge impatience he inly swelt More for great sorrow that he could not pas Then for the burning torment which he felt That with fell woodnes he effierced was And wilfully him throwing on the gras Did beat and bounse his head and brestful sore The whiles the Championesse now decked has The vtmost rowme and past the formest dore The vtmost rowme abounding with all precious store For round about the walls yclothed were With goodly arras of great maiesty Wouen with gold and silke so close and nere That the rich metall lurked priuily As faining to be hidd from enuious eye Yet here and there and euery where vnwares It shewd it selfe and shone vnwillingly Like to a discolourd Snake whose hidden snares Through the greene gras his long bright 〈◊〉 back declares And in those Tapets weren fashioned Many faire pourtraicts and many a faire feate And all of loue and al of lusty-hed As seemed by their semblaunt did entreat And eke all Cupids warres they did repeate And cruell battailes which he whilome fought Gainst all the Gods to make his empire great Besides the huge massacres which he wrought On mighty kings and kesars into thraldome brought Therein was writt how often thondring Ioue Had felt the point of his hart percing dart And leauing heauens kingdome here did roue In straunge disguize to slake his scalding smart Now like a Ram faire Helle to peruart Now like a Bull Europa to withdraw Ah how the fearefull Ladies tender hart Did liuely seeme to tremble when she saw The huge seas vnder her t' obay her seruaunts law Soone after that into a golden showre Him selfe he chaung'd faire Danaë to vew Ant through the roofe of her strong brasen towre Did raine into her lap an hony dew The whiles her foolish garde that litle knew Of such deceipt kept th'yron dore fast bard And watcht that none should enter nor issew Vaine was the watch and bootlesse all the ward Whenas the God to golden hew him selfe transfard Then was he turnd into a fnowy Swan To win faire Leda to his louely trade O wondrous skill and sweet wit of the man That her in 〈◊〉 sleeping made From scorching heat her daintie limbes to shade Whiles the proud Bird ruffing his fethers wyde And brushing his faire brest did her inuade Shee slept yet twixt her eielids closely spyde How towards her he rusht and smiled at his pryde Then shewd it how the Thebane Semelee Deceiud of gealous Iuno did require To see him in his souerayne maiestee Armd with his thunderbolts and lightning fire Whens dearely she with death bought her desire But faire 〈◊〉 better match did make Ioying his loue in likenes more entire Three nights in one they say that for her sake He then did put her pleasures lenger to partake Twise was he seene in soaring Eagles shape And with wide winges to beat the buxōme ayre Once when he with Asterie did scape Againe when as the Troiane boy so fayre He snatcht from Ida hill and with him bare Wondrous delight it was there to behould How the rude Shepheards 〈◊〉 him did stare Trembling through feare least down he fallen should And often to him calling to take surer hould In Satyres shape Antiopa he snatcht And like a fire when he Aegin ' assayd A shepeheard when 〈◊〉 he catcht And like a Serpent to the Thracian mayd Whyles thus on earth great Ioue these pageaunts playd The winged boy did thrust into his throne And scoffing thus vnto his mother sayd Lo now the heuens obey to me alone And take me for their Ioue whiles Ioue to earth is gone And thou faire Phoebus in thy colours bright Wast there enwouen and the sad distresse In which that boy thee plonged for despight That thou bewray'dst his mothers wantonnesse When she with Mars was meynt in ioyfulnesse For thy he thrild thee with a leaden dart To loue faire Daphne which the loued lesse Lesse she thee lou'd then was thy iust desart Yet was thy loue her death her death was thy smart So louedst thou the lusty Hyacinct So louedst thou the faire Coronis deare Yet both are of thy haplesse hand extinct Yet both in flowres doe liue and loue thee breare The one a Paunce the other a sweetbeare For griefe whereof ye mote haue liuely seene The God himselfe rending his golden heare And breaking quite his garlond euer greene With other signes of sorrow and impatient teene Both for those two and for his owne deare sonne The sonne of Climene he did repent Who bold to guide the charet of the Sunne Himselfe in thousand peeces fondly rent And all the world with flashing fire brent So like that all the walles did seeme to flame Yet cruell Cupid not herewith content Forst him estsoones to follow other game And loue a Shephards daughter for his dearest Dame He loued Isse for his dearest Dame And for her sake her cattell fedd a while And for her sake a cowheard vile became The seruant of Admetus cowheard vile Whiles that from heauen he suffered exile Long were to tell his other louely fitt Now like a Lyon hunting after spoile Now like a Hag now like a faulcon flit All which in that faire arras was most liuely writ Next vnto him was Neptune pictured In his diuine resemblance wondrous lyke His face was rugged and his hoarie hed Dropped with brackish deaw his threeforkt Pyke He stearnly shooke and there with fierce did stryke The raging billowes that on euery syde They trembling stood and made a long broad dyke That his swift charet might haue passage wyde Which foure great Hippodames did draw in temewise tyde His seahorses did see ne to snort amayne And from their nosethrilles blow the brynie streame That made the sparckling waues to smoke agayne And flame with gold but the white fomy creame Did shine with siluer and shoot forth his beame The God himselfe did pensiue seeme and sad And hong adowne his head as he did dreame For priuy loue his brest empierced had Ne ought but deare Bisaltis ay could make him glad He loued eke Iphimedia deare And Aeolus faire daughter Arne hight For whom he turnd him selfe into a Steare And fedd on fodder to beguile her sight Also to win Deucalions daughter bright He turnd him selfe into a Dolphin fayre And like a winged horse he tooke his flight To snaky-locke Medusa to repayre On whom he got faire Pegasus that flitteth in the ayre Next Saturne was but who would euer weene That sullein Saturne euer weend to loue Yet loue is sullein and Saturnlike seene As he did for Erigone it proue That to a Centaure did him selfe transmoue So proou'd it eke that gratious God of wine When for to compasse Philliras hard loue He turnd
had her distrest So sore and with foule outrages opprest With that great chaine wherewith not long ygoe He bound that pitteous Lady prisoner now relest Himselfe she bound more worthy to be so And captiue with her led to wretchednesse and wo. Returning back those goodly rowmes which erst He saw so rich and royally arayd Now vanisht vtterly and cleane subuerst He found and all their glory quite decayd That sight of such a chaunge him much dismayd Thenceforth descending to that perlous Porch Those dreadfull flames she also found delayd And quenched quite like a consumed torch That erst all entrers wont so cruelly to scorch At last she came vnto the place where late She left Sir Scudamour in great distresse Twixt dolour and despight halfe desperate Of his loues succour of his owne redresse And of the hardie Britomarts successe There on the cold earth him now thrown she found In wilfull anguish and dead heauinesse And to him cald whose voices knowen sound Soone as he heard himself he reared light from ground There did he see that most on earth him ioyd His dearest loue the comfort of his dayes Whose too long absence him had sore annoyd And wearied his life with dull delayes Straight he vp started from the loath ed layes And to her ran with hasty egernesse Like as a Deare that greedily embayes In the coole soile after long thirstinesse Which he in chace endured hath now nigh breathlesse Lightly he clipt her twixt his armes twaine And streightly did embrace her body bright Her body late the prison of sad paine Now the sweet lodge of loue and deare delight But she faire Lady ouercommen quight Of huge affection did in pleasure melt And in sweete rauishment pourd out her spright No word they spake nor earthly thing they felt But like two senceles stocks in long embracemēt dwelt Had ye them seene ye would haue surely thought That they had beene that faire Hermaphrodite Which that rich Romane of white marble wrought And in his costly Bath causd to bee site So seemd those two as growne together quite That Britomart halfe enuying their blesse Was much empassiond in her gentle sprite And to her selfe oft wisht like happinesse In vaine she wisht that fate n'ould let her yet possesse Thus doe those louers with sweet counteruayle Each other of loues bitter fruit despoile But now my teme begins to faint and fayle All woxen weary of their iournall toyle Therefore I will their sweatie yokes assoyle At this same furrowes end till a new day And ye faire Swayns after your long turmoyle Now cease your worke and at your pleasure play Now cease your worke to morrow is an holy day FINIS A Letter of the Authors expounding his whole intention in the course of this worke which for that it giueth great light to the Reader for the better vnderstanding is hereunto annexed To the Right noble and Valorous Sir Walter Raleigh knight Lo. Wardein of the Stanneryes and her Maiesties liefetenaunt of the County of Cornewayll SIr knowing how doubtfully all Allegories may be construed and this booke of mine which I haue entituled the Faery Queene being a continued Allegory or darke conceit I haue thought good aswell for auoyding of gealous opinions and miscōstructions as also for your better light in reading therof being so by you cōmanded to discouer vnto you the general intention meaning which in the whole course thereof I haue fashioned without expressing of any particular purposes or by accidents therein occasioned The generall end therefore of all the booke is to fashion a gentleman or noble person in vertuous and gentle discipline Which for that I conceiued shoulde be most plausible and pleasing being coloured with an historicall fiction the which the most part of men delight to read rather for variety of matter then for profite of the exsample I chose the historye of king Arthure as most fitte for the excellency of his person being made famous by many mens former workes and also furthest from the daunger of enuy and suspition of present time In which I haue followed all the antique Poets historicall first Homere who in the Persons of Agamemnon and Vlysses hath ensampled a good gouernour and a vertuous man the one in his Ilias the other in his Odysseis then Virgil whose like intention was to doe in the person of Aeneas after him Ariosto comprised them both in his Orlando and lately Tasso disseuered them againe and formed both parts in two persons namely that part which they in Philosophy call Ethice or vertues of a priuate man coloured in his Rinaldo The other named Politice in his Godfredo By ensample of which excellente Poets I labour to pourtraict in Arthure before he was king the image of a braue knight perfected in the twelue priuate morall vertues as Aristotle hath deuised the which is the purpose of these first twelue bookes which if I finde to be well accepted I may be perhaps encoraged to frame the other part of polliticke vertues in his person after that hee came to be king To some I know this Methode will seeme displeasaunt which had rather haue good discipline deliuered plainly in way of precepts or sermoned at large as they vse then thus clowdily enwrapped in All goricall deuises But such me seeme should be satisfide with the vse of these dayes seeing all things accounted by their showes and nothing esteemed of that is not delightfull and pleasing to commune sence For this cause is Xenophon preferred before Plato for that the one in the exquisite depth of his iudgement formed a Commune welth such as it should be but the other in the person of Cyrus and the Persians fashioned a gouernement such as might best be So much more profitable and gratious is doctrine by ensample then by rule So haue I laboured to doe in the person of Arthure whome I conceiue after his long education by Timon to whom he was by Merlin deliuered to be brought vp so soone as he was borne of the Lady Igrayne to haue seene in a dream or vision the Faery Queen with whose excellent beauty rauished he awaking resolued to seeke her out and so being by Merlin armed and by Timon throughly instructed he went to seeke her forth in Faerye land In that Faery Queene I meane glory in my generall intention but in my particular I conceiue the most excellent and glorious person of our soueraine the Queene and her kingdome in Faery land And yet in some places el I doe otherwise shadow her For considering she beareth two persons the one of a most royall Queene or Empresse the other of a most vertuous and beautifull Lady this latter part in some places I doe ezpresse in Belphoebe fashioning her name according to your owne excellent conceipt of Cynthia Phaebe and Cynthia being both names of Diana So in the person of Prince Arthure I sette forth magnificence in particular which vertue for that according to Aristotle and the rest it is the
perfection of all the rest and conteineth in it them all therefore in the whole course I mention the deedes of Arthure app'yable to that vertue which I write of in that booke But of the xii other vertues I make xii other knight the patrones for the more variety of the history Of which these three bookes contayn three The first of the knight of the 〈◊〉 in whome I expresse Holynes The seconde of 〈◊〉 Guyon in whome I sette forth Temperaunce The third of Britomartis a Lady knight in whome I picture Chastity But because the beginning of the whole worke seemeth abrupte and as depending vpon other antecedents it needs that ye know the occasion of these three knights seuerall aduentures For the Methode of a Poet historical is not such as of an Historiographer For an Historiographer discourseth of affayres orderly as they were donne accounting as well the times as the actions but a Poet thrusteth into the middest euen where it most concerneth him and there recoursing to the thinges forepaste and diuining of thinges to come maketh a pleasing Analysis of all The beginning therefore of my history if it were to be told by an Historiographer should be the twelfth booke which is the last where I deuise that the Faery Queene kept her Annuall feaste xii dayes vppon which xii seuerall dayes the occasions of the xii seuerall aduentures hapned which being vndertaken by xii seuerall knights are in these xii books seuerally handled and 〈◊〉 The first was this In the beginning of the feast there presented him selfe a tall clownishe younge man who falling before the Queen of Faries desired a boone as the manner then was which during that feast she might not refuse which was that hee might haue the atchieuement of any aduenture which during that feaste should hap̄pen that being graunted he rested him on the floore vnfitte through his rusticity for a better place 〈◊〉 after entred a faire Ladye in mourning weedes riding on a white Asse with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed that bore the Armes of a knight and his speare in the dwarfes hand Shee falling before the Queene of Faeries complayned that her father and mother an ancient King and Queene had bene by an huge dragon many years shut vp in a brasen Castle who thence suffred them not to yssew and therefore besought the Faery Queene to assygne her some one of her knights to take on him that exployt Presently that clownish person vpstarting desired that aduenture whereat the Queene much wondering and the Lady much gainesaying yet he earnestly importuned his desire In the end the Lady told him that vnlesse that armour which she brought would 〈◊〉 him that is the armour of a Christian man specified by Saint Paul v. Ephes. that he could not succeed in that enterprise which being forthwith put vpon him with dewe furnitures thereunto he seemed the goodliest man in al that company and was well liked of the Lady And eftesoones taking on him knighthood and mounting on that straunge Courser he went forth with her on that aduenture where beginneth the first booke vz. A gentle knight was pricking on the playne c. The second day ther came in a Palmer bearing an Infant with bloody hands whose Parents he complained to haue bene slayn by an Enchaunteresse called Acrasia and therfore craued of the Faery Queene to appoint him some knight to performe that aduenture which being assigned to Sir Guyon he presently went forth with that same Palmer which is the beginning of the second booke and the whole subiect thereof The third day there came in a Groome who complained before the Faery Queene that a 〈◊〉 Enchaunter called Busirane had in hand a most faire Lady called Amoretta whom he kept in most grieuous torment because she would not yield him the pleasure of her body Whereupon Sir Scudamour the louer of that Lady presently tooke on him that aduenture But being vnable to performe it by reason of the hard Enchauntments after long sorrow in the end met with Britomartis who succoured him and reskewed his loue But by occasion hereof many other aduentures are intermedled but rather as Accidents then intendments As the loue of Britomart the ouerthrow of Marinell the misery of Florimell the vertuousnes of 〈◊〉 the lasciuiousnes of Hellenora and many the like Thus much Sir I haue briefly ouerronne to direct your vnderstanding to the wel-head of the History that from thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit ye may as in a handfull gripe al the discourse which otherwise may happily seeme tedious and confused So humbly crauing the continuaunce of your honorable fauour towards me and th' eternall establishment of your happines I humbly take leaue 23. Ianuary 1589. Yours most humbly affectionate Ed. Spenser ¶ 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 tumbe faire loue and fairer vertue kept All suddeinly 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 heuens did perse Where Homers spright did tremble all for griefe And curst th' accesse of that celestiall theife Another of the fame THe prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings As doth the Cuckoes song delight whē Philumena sings If thou hast formed right true vertues face herein Vertue her selfe can best discerne to whom they writen bin If thou hast beauty praysd let her sole lookes diuine Iudge if ought therein be amis and mend it by her eine If Chastitie want ought or Temperaunce her dew Behold her Princely mind aright and write thy Queene anew Meane while she shall perceiue how far her vertues sore Aboue the reach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 speak our English tongue but those of thy deuice W. R. To the learned Shepeheard COllyn I see by thy new taken taske some sacred fury hath enricht thy braynes That leades thy muse in haughty verse to maske and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto kinges So like the liuely Larke that mounting singes 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 trusty mates that loued thee so well Whom thou gau'st mirth as they gaue thee the bell Yet as thou earst with thy sweete roundelayes didst stirre to glee our laddes