436

The third Booke of Cant. III.

But him shall flay, and on a gallowes bleak
Shall giue th'enchaunter his vnhappy hire:
Then shall the Britons, late difmayd and weake,
From their long vaſſallage gin to respire,
And on their Paynim foes auenge their ranckled ire.

Ne shall he yet his wrath so mitigate,
Till both the ſonnes of Edwin he haue flayne,
Offricke and Oſricke, twinnes vnfortunate,
Both ſlaine in battaile upon Layburne playne,
Together with the king of Louthiane,
Hight Adin, and the king of Orkeny,
Both ioynt partakers of their fatall payne:
But Penda, fearefull of like deſteny,
Shall yield him ſelſe his Liegeman, and ſweare ſealty.

Him shall he make his fatall Inſtrument,
T'afflicht the other Saxon's vnſubdewd;
He marching forth with ſury inſolent
Againſt the good king Oſwald, who indewd
With heauenly powre, and by Angels reskewd,
Al holding crosſes in their hands on bye,
Shall him defeate withouten blood imbrewd:
Of which, that field for endleſſe memory,
Shall Hevenfield be cald to all poſterity.

Whereat Cadwallin wroth, ſhall forth iſſew,
And an huge hoſte into Northumber lead,
With which he godly Oſwald ſhall ſubdew,
And crowne with martiredome his ſacred head.
Whose brother Oſwin, daunted with like dread,
With price of filuer ſhall his kingdome buy,
And Penda seeking him adowne to tread,
Shall tread adowne, and doe him fowly dye,
But ſhall with guilts his Lord Cadwallin pacify.

Then

437

Cant. III. the Faery Queene.

Then ſhall Cadwallin die, and then the raine
Of Britons eke with him atonce ſhall dye;
Ne ſhall the good Cadwallader with paine,
Or powre, be hable it to remedy,
When the full time prefixt by deſtiny,
Shalbe expird of Britons regiment.
For heuen it ſelſe ſhall their ſuccelle enuy,
And them with plagues and murrins peſtilent
Conſume, till all their warlike puſſaunce be ſpent.

Yet after all theſe ſorrowes, and huge hills
Of dying people, during eight yeares ſpace,
Cadwallader not yielding to his ills,
From Armoricke, where long in wretched cace
He liu'd, retourning to his native place,
Shalbe by viſion ſtaide from his intent:
For th'heauens haue decreed, to diſplace
The Britons, for their ſinnes dew puniſhment,
And to the Saxon's ouer-give their government.

Then woe, and woe, and euerlaſting woe,
Be to the Briton babe, that ſhalbe borne,
To liue in thraldome of his fathers foe,
Late king, now captive, late lord, now forlorne,
The worlds reproch, the cruell victors ſcorne,
Banifht from princely bowre to waſteful wood:
O who ſhal helpe me to lament, and mourne
The royall ſeed, the antique Trojan blood,
Whose empire lenger here, then euer any ſtood.

The Damzell was full deepe empaffioned,
Both for his griefe, and for her peoples ſake,
Whose future woes ſo plaine he faſhioned,
And ſhing ſore, at length him thus beſpake,

E e 4

Ah

438 The third Booke of

Cant. III.

Ah but will heuens fury neuer flake,
Nor vengeaunce huge relent it selfe at laft?
Will not long misery late mercy make,
But shall their name for euer be defaunte,
And quite from th'earth their memory be rafte?

Nay but the terme (fayd he) is limited,
That in this thraldome Britons shall abide,
And the iuft reuolution meafured,
That they as Straungers fhalbe notifide,
For twife fowre hundreth yeares fhalbe fupplide,
Ere they vnto their former rule reſtor'd ſwalbee.
And their importune fates all faſtisſe:
Yet during this their moſt obſcuritee,
(may ſee. Their beames ſhall ofte breake forth, that men the faire

For Rhodoricke, whose furname ſhalbe Great,
Shall of him ſelfe a braue enſample ſhew,
That Saxon kings his friend ſhip ſhall intreat;
And Howell Dha ſhall goodly well indew
The ſaluage minds with skill of iuft and trew;
Then Griffyth Conan alſo ſhall vp reare
His dreaded head, and the old ſparkes renew
Of native corage, that his foes ſhall ſeare,
(bear). Leaſt back againe the kingdom he from them ſhould

Ne ſhall the Saxons ſelues all peaceably
Enioy the crowne, which they from Britons wonne
Firstill, and after ruled wickedly :
For ere two hundred yeares be full outronne,
There ſhall a Rauen far from riuſing Sunne,
With his wide wings vpon them fiercely fly,
And bid his faithleſſe chickens oueronne
The fruitfull plaines, and with fell cruelty,
In their auenge, tread downe the victors ſurquedry.

Yet

Cant. III. the Faery Queene:

493

Yet ſhall a third both these, and thine ſubdew;
There ſhall a Lion from the ſea-bord wood
Of Neuftria come roring, with a crew
Of hungry whelpes, his battailous bold brood,
Whose clawes were newly dipt in cruddy blood,
That from the Daniske Tyrants head ſhall rend
Th'urped crowne, as if that he were wood,
And the ſpoile of the countrey conquered
Emongſt his young ones ſhall diuide with bountyhed.

Tho when the terme is full accomplifhid,
There ſhall a ſparke of fire, which hath long-while
Bene in his afhes raked vp, and hid,
Bee freshly kindled in the fruitfull Ile
Of Mona, where it lurked in exile;
Which ſhall breake forth into bright burning flame,
And reach into the houſe, that beares the ſtyle
Of roiall maiefsty and ſoueraine name;
So ſhall the Briton blood their crowne agayn reclame.

Thenceforth eternall vnion ſhall be made
Betweene the nations different afore,
And ſacred Peace ſhall louingly perſuade
The warlike minds, to learne her goodly lore,
And ciuile armes to exercife no more:
Then ſhall a royall Virgin raine, which ſhall
Stretch her white rod ouer the Belgicke ſhore,
And the great Caſtle ſmite ſo ſore with all,
That it ſhall make him ſhake, and ſhortly learn to fall.

But yet the end is not. There Merlin ſtayd,
As ouercomen of the ſpirites powre,
Or other ghaſtly ſpectacle diſmayd,
That secretly he ſaw, yet note diſcoure:

Which

440

The third Booke of

Cant. III.

Which fuddein fitt, and halfe extatick ſtoure
When the two fearefull wemen ſaw, they grew
Greatly confuted in behaueoure;
At laſt the fury paſt, to former hew
Shee turnd againe, and chearfull looks did ſhew.

Then, when them ſelues they well inſtruſted had
Of all, that needed them to be inquird,
They both conceiuing hope of comfort glad,
With lighter hearts vnto their home retired;
Where they in ſecret counſell close confpird,
How to effect so hard an enterprize,
And to poffeſſe the purpose they deſird:
Now this, now that twixt them they did deuize,
And diuerſe plots did frame, to maske in ſtrage diſguife,

At laſt the Nourſe in her foolhardy wit
Conceiud a bold deuife, and thus beſpake;
Daughter, I deeme that counſel aye moſt fit,
That of the time doth dew aduauntage take;
Ye ſee that good king Vther now doth make
Strong warre vpon the Paynim brethren, hight
Oſa and Oza, whome hee lately brake
Befide Cayr Verolame, in vijſtorious fight,
That now all Britany doth burne in armes bright.

That therefore nought our paſſage may empeach,
Let vs in feigned armes our ſelues diſguife, (teach,
And our weake hands (need makes good ſchollers)
The dreadful ſpeare and ſhield to exercize:
Ne certes daughter that fame warlike wize
I weene, would you miſſeme; for ye beene tall,
And large of limbe, t'atchieue an hard emprize,
Ne ought ye want, but skil, which practice ſmall
Wil bring, and ſhortly make you a mayd Martiall.

And

441

Cant. III.

the Faëry Queene.

And ſooth, it ought your corage much inflame,
To heare so often, in that royall hous,
From whence to none inferior ye came:
Bards tell of many wemen valorous,
Which haue full many feats aduenturous,
Perſormd, in paragone of proudeſt men:
The bold Bunduca, whose vijſtorious
Eſployts made Rome to quake, ſtout Guendolen,
Renowned Martia, and redoubted Emmilen.

And that, which more then all the reſt may ſway
Late dayes enſample, which theſe eyes beheld,
In the laſt field before Menenia
Which Vther with thoſe forrein Pagans held,
I ſaw a Saxon Virgin, the which ſeld
Great Vlſin thrife vpon the bloody playne,
And had not Carados her hand withheld
From rafh reuenge, ſhe had him surely ſlayne,
Yet Carados him ſelſe from her eſcapt with payne.

Ah read, (quoth Britomart) how is the highte
Fayre Angela (quoth ſhe) men do her call,
No whit Iſſe ſayre, then terrible in fight:
She hath the leading of a Martiall
And mightie people, dreaded more then all
The other Saxons, which doe for her ſake
And loue, them ſelues of her name Angles call.
Therefore faire Infant her enſample make
Vnto thy ſelfe, and equall corage to theſe take.

Her harty wordes so deepe into the mynd
Of the yong Damzell ſunke, that great deſire
Of warlike armes in her forthwith they tynd,
And generous ſtout courage did inſpyre,

That

442

The third Book of Cant. III.

That she refolu'd, vnweeting to her Syre,
Aduent'rous knighthood on her selfe to don,
And counseld with her Nourſe, her Maides attyre
To turne into a maffy habergeon,
And bad her all things put in readinesſe anon.

Th'old woman nought, that needed, did omit:
But all thinges did conueniently puruay:
It fortuned (so time their turne did fit)
A band of Britons ryding on forray
Few dayes before, had gotten a great pray
Of Saxon goods, emongſt the which was ſeene
A goodly Armour, and full rich aray,
Which long'd to Angela, the Saxon Queene,
All fretted round with gold, and goodly wel beſeene.

The ſame, with all the other ornaments,
King Ryence cauſed to be hanged hy
In his chieſe Church, for endlesſe moniments
Of his ſucceſſe and gladfull viſtory:
Of which her ſelfe auſiſing readily,
In th'euening late old Glance thither led
Faire Britomart, and that ſame Armory
Downe taking, her therein appareled,
Well as the might, & with braue bauldrick garniſhed.

Befide thofe armes there ſtood a mightie ſpeare,
Which Bladud made by Magick art of yore,
And vſd the ſame in batteill aye to beare;
Sith which it had beene here preferu'd in ſtore,
For his great vertues proued long afore:
For neuer wight so faſt in ſell could fit,
But him perſorce vnto the ground it bore:
Both ſpeare the tooke, and ſhield, which hong by it;
Both ſpeare & ſhield of great powre, for her purpofe fit
Thus

443

Cant. III. the Faery Queene.

Thus when ſhe had the virgin all arayd,
Another barneſſe, which did hang thereby,
About her ſelfe ſhe dight, that they Yong Mayd
She might in equall armes accompany,
And as her Squyre attend her carefully:
Tho to their ready Steedes they clombe full light,
And through back waies, that none might the eſpy,
Couered with ſecret cloud of ſilent night,
Themselues they forth conuaid, & paſſed forward right.

Ne reſted they, till that to Faery lond
They came, as Merlin them directed late:
Where meeting with this Redcroſſe knight, the ſond
Of diuerſe thinges diſcourſes to dilate,
But moſt of Arthegall, and his eſtate.
At laſt their wayes ſo ſell, that they mote part:
Then each to other well affectionate,
Frendſhip profefſed with vnſained hart,
The Redcroſſe knight diuerſt, but forth rode Britomart.

Cant.

444

The third Booke of
Cant. IIII.

Cant. IIII.

Bold Marinell of Britomart,
Is throwne on the Rich virond:
Faire Florimell of Arthure is
Long followed, but not fond.

W Here is the Antique glory now become,
That whylome wont in wemen to appeare?
Where be the braue atchievements doen by fome?
Where be the batteilles, where the shield & speare,
And all the conquests, which them high did reare,
That matter made for famous Poets verfe,
And boastfull men so oft abaft to heare?
Beene they all dead, and laide in dolefull herse?
Or doen they onely sleepe, and shall againe reuerse?

If they be dead, then woe is me therefore:
But if they sleepe, O let them soone awake:
For all too long I burne with enuy fore,
To heare the warlike feates, which Homere spake
Of bold Penthefilee, which made a lake
Of Greekisb blood so ofte in Troian plaine;
But when I reade, how stout Debora strake
Proud Sifera, and how Camill hath flaine
The huge Orfilochus, I fwell with great difdaine.

Yet these, and all that els had puiffaunce,
Cannot with noble Britomart compare,
Afwell for glorie of great valiaunce,
As for pure chaftitic and vertue rare,

That

Cant. IIII. the Faerie Queene.

445

That all her goodly deedes do well declare.
Well worthie stock; frō which the branches sprong,
That in late yeares so faire a bloffome bare,
As thee, O Queene, the matter of my song,
Whofe lignage from this Lady I deriue along.

Who when through speaches with the Redcrosſe knight,
She learned had theſtate of Arthegall,
And in each point her ſelfe inſormd aright,
A friendly league of loue perpetuall
She with him bound, and Congé tooke withall,
Then he forth on his iourny did proceede,
To ſeeke aduentures, which more him befall,
And win him worſhip through his warlike deed,
Which alwaies of his paines he made the chiefeſt meed

But Britomart kept on her former courſe,
Ne euer doſte her armes, but all the way
Grew penſue through that amarous diſcoursſe,
By which the Redcrosſe knight did earſt diſ lay
Her louers ſhape, and cheualrous aray;
A thousand thoughts the falſhion in her mind,
And in her feigning ſancie did pourtray
Him ſuch, as ſitteſt he for loue could find,
Wife, warlike, perſonable, courteous, and kind.

With ſuch ſelfe-pleasing thoughts her wound the fedd,
And thought so to beguile her grieuous ſmart;
But ſo her ſmart was much more grieuous bredd;
And the deepe wound more deep engord her hart,
That nought but death her dolour mote depart.
So forth the rode without reſpofe or reſt,
Searching all lands and eche remote part,
Following the guy daunce of her blinded gueſt,
Till that to the ſeacoast at length ſhe her addreſt.

There

The third Booke of

Cant. III.

446

There she alighted from her light-foot beaſt,
And sitting downe vpon the rocky shore,
Badd her old Squyre vnlace her lofty ceaſt;
Tho hauing vewd a while the ſurges hore,
That gainſt the craggy clifts did loudly rore,
And in their raging ſurquedry diſdaynd,
That the faſt earth affronted them ſo fore,
And their deuouring couetize reſtraynd,
Thereat she ſighed deepe, and after thus complaynd.

Huge ſea of ſorrow, and tempeſtuous griefe,
Wherein my feeble barke is toſſed long,
Far from the hoped hauen of reliefe,
Why doe thy cruel billowes beat ſo ſtrong,
And thy moyſt mountaines each on others throng,
Threatning to ſwallow vp my ſearefull lyſe?
O doe thy cruell wrath and ſpightfull wrong
At length allay, and ſtint thy ſtormy ſtryſe,
Which in thy troubled bowels raignes, & rageth ryſe.

For els my feeble veſſell crazd, and crackt
Through thy ſtrong buffets and outrageous blowes,
Cannot endure, but needes it muſt be wrackt
On the rough rocks, or on the fandy ſhallowes,
The whiles that loue it ſteres, and fortune rowes;
Loue my lewd Pilott hath a reſtleſſe minde
And fortune Botéſwaine no affuraunce knowes,
But ſaile withouten ſtarres, gainſt tyde and winde:
How can they other doe, ſith both are bold and blinde?

Thou God of windes, that raigneſt in the ſeas,
That raigneſt alſo in the Continent;
At laſt blow vp some gentle gale of eafe,
The which may bring my ſhip, cre it be rent,
Vnto

the Faery Queene.

447

Cant. IIIII.

Vnto the gladſome port of her intent:
Then when I ſhall my ſelfe in ſafety ſee,
A table for eternall moniment
Of thy great grace, and my great ieopardee,
Great *Neptune*, I avow to hallow vnto thee.

Then ſhing ſoftly fore, and inly deepe,
She ſhut vp all her plaint in priuy griefe;
For her great courage would not let her weepe,
Till that old *Glauce* gan with ſharpe reprieſe,
Her to reſtraine, and giue her good reliefe,
Through hope of thofe, which *Merlin* had her told
Should of her name and nation be chieſe,
And fetch their being from the ſacred mould
Of her immortall womb, to be in heauen enrold.

Thus as she her recomforted, ſhe ſpyde,
Where far away one all in armour bright,
With haſty gallop towards her did ryde;
Her dolour ſoone ſhe ceaſt, and on her dight
Her Helmet, to her Courſer mounting light:
Her former ſorrow into ſuddein wrath,
Both cooſen paſſions of diſtroubled ſpight,
Conuerting, forth ſhe beates the duſty path;
Loue and deſpight attonce her courage kindled hath.

As when a foggy miſt hath ouercaſt
The face of heuen, and the cleare ayre engroſſe,
The world in darkenes dwels, till that at laſt
The watry Southwinde from the ſeabord coſte
Vpblowing, doth diſperſe the vapour loſte;
And poures it ſelfe forth in a ſtormy ſhowre;
So the fayre *Britomart* hauing diſcloſte
Her clowdy care into a wrathfull ſtowre,
The miſt of griefe diſſolu'd, did into vengeance powre.

Ff

Eſſoones

448 The second Booke of Cant. IIII.

Eftsoones her goodly shield addresing fayre,
That mortall ſpeare ſhe in her hand did take,
And vnto battaill did her ſelfe prepayre.
The knight approaching, ſternely her beſpake;
Sir knight, that doeſt thy voyage rafhly make
By this forbidden way in my deſpight,
Ne doeſt by others death enſample take,
I read thee ſoone retyre, whiles thou haſt might,
Leaſt afterwards it be too late to take thy flight.

Ythrild with deepe diſdaine of his proud threat,
She ſhortly thus; Fly they, that need to fly;
Wordes ſearen babes. I meane not thee entreat
To paſſe; but maugre thee will paſſe or dy.
Ne lenger ſtayd for th'other to reply,
But with ſharpe ſpeares the reſt made dearly knowne.
Strongly the ſtraunge knight ran, and ſturdily
Strooke her full on the breſt, that made her downe
Decline her head, & touch her crouper with her crown.

But ſhe againe him in the ſhield did ſmite
With ſo fierce ſurie and great puſſaunce,
That through his three ſquare ſuchin percing quite,
And through his mayled hauberque, by miſchaunce
The wicked ſteele through his left ſide did glaunce;
Him ſo transfixed ſhe before her bore
Beyond his croupe, the length of all her launce,
Till ſadly ſoucing on the ſandy ſhore,
He tombled on an heape, and wallowd in his gore.

Like as the ſacred Oxe, that careleſſe ſtands,
With gilden hornes, and flowry girlonds crowd,
Proud of his dying honor and deare bandes,
Whiles th'altars ſume with frankincenſe arownd,
All

449

All ſuſdeinly with mortall ſtroke aftownd,
Doth groueling fall, and with his ſtreaming gore
Diftaines the pillours, and the holy grownd,
And the faire flowres, that decked him afore;
So ſell proud Marinell vpon the pretious ſhore.

The martiall Mayd ſtayd not him to lament,
But forward rode, and kept her ready way
Along the ſtrond, which as ſhe ouer-went,
She ſaw beſtrowed all with rich aray
Of pearles and pretious ſtones of great affay,
And all the grauell mixt with golden owre;
Whereat ſhe wondred much, but would not ſtay
For gold, or perles', or pretious ſtones an howre,
But them deſpifed all, for all was in her powre.

Whiles thus he lay in deadly ſtoniſhment,
Tydings hereof came to his mothers eare;
His mother was the blacke-browd Cymocnt,
The daughter of great Nereus, which did beare
This warlike ſonne vnto an earthly peare,
The famous Dumarin; who on a day
Finding the Nymph a ſleepe in ſecret whearc,
As he by chaunce did wander that fame way,
Was taken with her loue, and by her cloſely lay.

There he this knight of her begot, whom borne
She of his father Marinell did name,
And in a rocky caue as wight forlorne,
Long time the ſoſtred vp, till he became
A mighty man at armes, and mickle fame
Did get through great aduentures by him donne:
For neuer man he ſuſſred by that fame
Rich ſtrond to trauell, whereas he did wonne,
But that he muſt do battail with the Sea-nymphes ſonne

F f 2

An

450

An hundred knights of honorable name
He had subdew'd, and them his vassals made,
That through all Farie lond his noble fame
Now blazed was, and feare did all inuade,
That none durft paffen through that perilous glade.
And to aduance his name and glory more,
Her Sea-god fyre she dearely did perſwade,
T'endow her ſonne with threasure and rich ſtore,
Boue all the ſonnes, that were of earthly wombe ybore.

The God did graunt his daughters deare demaund,
To doen his Nephew in all riches flow;
Eſt loones his heaped waues he did command,
Out of their hollow boſome forth to throw
All the huge threasure, which the ſea below
Had in his greedy gulſe deuoured deepe,
And him enriched through the ouerthrow
And wreckes of many wretches, which did weepe,
And often wayle their wealth, which he from them did
(keepe).

Shortly vpon that ſhore there heaped was,
Exceeding riches and all pretious things,
The ſpoyle of all the world, that it did pas
The wealth of th'Eaſt, and pompe of *Persian* kings;
Gold, amber, yuorie, perles, owches, rings,
And all that els was pretious and deare,
The ſea vnto him voluntary brings,
That ſhortly he a great Lord did appeare,
As was in all the lond of Faëty, or eſſe wheare.

Thereto he was a doughty dreaded knight,
Tryde often to the cath of many Deare,
That none in equall armes him matchen might,
The which his mother ſeeing, gan to feare

Leaſt

the Faëry Queene.

Cant. IIII.

Leaſt his too haughtie hardines might reare
Some hard miſhap, in hazard of his life:
For thy ſhe oft him counſeld to forbeare
The bloody batteill, and to ſtirre vp ſtrife,
But after all his warre, to reſt his wearie knife.

And for his more affuraunce, ſhe inqui'd
One day of *Proteus* by his mighty ſpell,
(For *Proteus* was with prophecy inſpir'd)
Her deare ſonnes deſtiny to her to tell,
And the ſad end of her ſweet *Marinell*.
Who through foreſlight of his eternall skill,
Bad her from womankind to keepe him well:
For of a woman he ſhould haue much ill,
A virgin ſtraunge and ſtout him ſhould diſmay, or kill.

For thy ſhe gaue him warning euery day,
The loue of women not to entertaine;
A leſſon too too hard for liuing clay,
From loue in course of nature to refraine:
Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine,
And euer from ſayre Ladies loue did fly;
Yet many Ladies ſayre did oft complaine,
That they for loue of him would algates dy:
Dy, who ſo luſt for him, he was loues enimy.

But ah, who can deceiue his deſtiny,
Or weene by warning to auoyd his ſate ?
That when he ſleepes in moſt ſecurity,
And ſafeſt ſeemes, him ſooneſt doth amate,
And findeth dew effect or ſoone or late.
So feeble is the powre of ſleſhy arme.
His mother bad him wemens loue to hate,
For ſhe of womans force did ſeareno harme;
So weening to haue arm'd him, ſhe did quite diſarme.

F f 3

451

This

The third Booke of

Cant. IIII.

452

This was that woman, this that deadly wownd,
That *Proteus* prophecide should him difmay,
The which his mother vainely did expownd,
To be hart-wownding loue, which should affay
To bring her fonde vnto his last decay.
So ticle be the termes of mortall state,
And full of subtile sophismes, which doe play
With double fences, and with falſe debate,
T'approue the vnknowen purpose of eternall fate.

Too trew the famous *Marinell* it fownd,
Who through late triall, on that wealthy Strond
Inglorious now lies in fenceleſſe ſwownd,
Through heauy ſtroke of *Britomartis* hond.
Which when his mother deare did vnderſond,
And heauy tidings heard, whereas ſhe playd
Amongſt her watry sifters by a pond,
Gathering ſweete daffadillyes, to haue made
Gay girlonds, from the Sun their forheads fayr to ſhade,

Eſteſoones both flowres and girlonds far away
Shee flong, and her faire deawy locks yrent,
To ſorrow huge ſhe turnd her former play,
And gameſon merth to grieuous dreriment:
Shee threw her ſelfe downe on the Continent,
Ne word did ſpeake, but lay as in a ſwownd,
Whiles al her sifters did for her lament,
With yelling outeries, and with ſtricking ſowne;
And euery one did teare her girlond from her crowne.

Soone as ſhee vp out of her deadly fitt.
Aroſe, ſhee bad her charett to be brought,
And all her sifters, that with her did fitt,
Bad eke atonce their charetts to be ſought,

The

Cant. IIII.

the Faery Queene.

453

Tho full of bitter grieſe and penſe thought,
She to her wagon clombe; clombe all the reſt,
And forth together went, with ſorow fraught.
The waues obedient to theyr beheaſt,
 Them yielded ready paſſage, and their rage ſurceaſt.

Great *Neptune* ſtoode amazed at their fight,
Whiles on his broad rownd backe they softly flid
And eke him ſelfe mournd at their mournfull plight,
Yet wift not what their wailing ment, yet did
For great compassion of their ſorow, bid
His mighty waters to them buxome bee:
Eſteſoones the roaring billowes ſtill abid,
And all the grieſly Monſters of the See
Stood gaping at their gate, and wondred them to ſee.

A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray,
Drew the smooth charett of ſad *Cymoent*;
They were all taught by *Triton*, to obay
To the long raynes, at her commaundement:
As ſwifte as ſwallowes, on the waues they went,
That their brode flaggy finnes no ſome did reare,
Nebubling rowndell they behinde them ſent;
The reſt of other ſiſhes drawen weare,
Which with their finny oars the ſwelling ſea did ſheare.

Soone as they bene arriu'd vpon the brim
Of the *Rich ſtrond*, their charets they forlore,
And let their temed ſiſhes softly ſwim
Along the margent of the ſomy shore,
Leaſt they their finnes should bruze, and ſurbate ſore
Their tender ſeete vpon the ſtony grownd:
And comming to the place, where all in gore
And cruddy blood enwallowed they fownd
The luckleſſe *Marinell*, lying in deadly ſwownd;

F f 4

His

454 The third Booke of

Cant. I. III.

His mother fwowned thrife, and the third time
Could fearre recouered bee out of her paine;
Had the not beene deuoide of mortall flime,
Shee fhould not then haue bene relyu'd againe;
But foone as life recouered had the raine,
Shee made fo piteous mone and deare wayment,
That the hard rocks could fearfe from tears refraine,
And all her fifter Nymphes with one confent
Supplide her fobbing breaches with fad complement.

Deare image of my ſelfe, (the ſayd) that is,
The wretched ſonne of wretched mother borne,
Is this thine high aduauncement, O is this
Th'immortall name, with which thee yet vnborne
Thy Granſire Nereus promiſt to adorne ?
Now lyeſt thou of life and honor reſte;
Now lyeſt thou a lumpe of earth forlorne,
Ne of thy late life memory is leſte,
Ne can thy irreuocable deſteny bee wſeſte ?

Fond Proteus, father offal ſe prophecis,
And they more fond, that credit to thee giue,
Not this the worke of womans hand ywis, (driue.
That ſo deepe wound through theſe deare members
I feared loue: but they that loue doe liue,
But they that dye, doe nether loue nor hate.
Nath'leſſe to thee thy folly I forgiue,
And to my ſelfe, and to accurſed fate
The guilt I doe aſcribe: deare wifedom bought too late.

O what auailes it of immortall ſeed
To beene ybredd and neuer borne to dye ?
Farre better I it deeme to die with ſpeed,
Then waſte in woe and waylſull miſerye.

Who

Cant. I. III. the Faery Queene.

455

Who dyes the vmoſt dolor doth abye,
But who that liues, is leſte to waile his loſſe:
So life is loſſe, and death felicity.
Sad life worſe then glad death: and greater croſſe
To ſee friends graue, the dead the graue ſelf to engroſſe.

But if the heauens did his dayes enuie,
And my ſhort blis maligne, yet mote they well
Thus much afford me, ere that he did die
That the dim eies of my deare Marinell
I more haue cloſed, and him bed farewell,
Sith other offices for mother meet
They would not graunt.
Yett maulgre them farewell, my ſweeteſt sweet,
Farewell my ſweeteſt ſonne, till we againe may meet.

Thus when they all had ſorowed their fill,
They ſoftly gan to ſearch his griekly wownd:
And that they might him handle more at will,
They him diſarnd, and ſpredding on the grownd
Their watchet mantles frindg'd with ſiluer rownd,
They ſoftly wipt away the gelly blood
From th'orſifice; which hauing well vpbownd,
They pourd in ſoueraine balme, and Nectar good,
Good both for erthly m ed'cine, and for heuenly food.

Tho when the lilly handed Liagore,
(This Liagore whilome had learned skill
In leaches craft, by great Appolloes lore,
Sith her whilome vpon high Pindus hill,
He loued, and at laſt her wombe did fill
With heuenly feed, whereof wife Pæon ſprong)
Did feele his pulſe, ſheeknew their ſtaied ſtill
Some little life his feeble ſprites emong;
Which to his mother told, deſpeyre the ſtrō her flong.

Tho

456

The third Booke of

Cant. IIII.

Tho vp him taking in their tender hands,
They easely vnto her charett beare:
Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands,
Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare,
And strowe with flowres the lamentable beare:
Then all the reft into their coches clim,
And through the brackish waues their paſſage shear,
Vpon great *Neptunes* necke they softly swim,
And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him.

Deepe in the bottome of the ſea, her bowre
Is built of hollow billowes heaped hye,
Like to thicke clouds, that threat a ſtormy ſhowre,
And vauted all within, like to the Skye,
In which the Gods doe dwell eternally:
There they him laide in easely couch well dight;
And ſent in haſte for *Tryphon*, to apply
Salues to his wounds, and medicines of might:

For *Tryphon* of ſea gods the ſoueraine leach is hight.

The whiles the *Nymphes* ſitt all about him rownd,
Lamenting his miſhap and heauy plight;
And ofte his mother vewing his wide wownd,
Curſed the hand, that did so deadly ſmight
Her deareſt ſonne, her deareſt harts delight.
But none of all thosee curſes ouertooke
The warlike Maide, th'enſample of that might,
But fairely well ſhee thryud, and well did brooke
Her noble deeds, ne her right courſe for ought for ſooke,

Yet did falſe Archimage her ſtill purſew,
To bring to paffe his miſchieuous intent,
Now that he had her ſingled from the crew
Of courteous knights, the Prince, and Fary gent,
Whome

Cant. II. II.

the Faëry Queene.

457

Whom late in chace of beauty excellent
Shee leſte, purſewing that fame ſoſter ſtrong;
Of whose ſowle outrage they impatient,
And full of firy zele, him followed long,
Toreskew her from ſhame, and to reuenge her wrong.

Through thick and thin, through mountains & through
Thole two gret châpions did atonce purſew (playns,
The ſearefull damzell, with ineſſant payns:
Who from them ſled, as light-foot hare from vew
Of hunter ſwifte, and ſent of howndes trew.
At laſt they came vnto a double way,
Where, doubtfull which to take, her to reskew,
Themselues they did dispart, each to affay,
Whether more happy were, to win ſo goodly pray.

But *Timias*, the Princes gentle Squyre,
That Ladies loue vnto his Lord forlent,
And with proud enuy, and indignant yre,
After that wicked ſoſter ſiercely went,
So beene they three three ſondry wayes ybent.
But ſayreſt fortune to the Prince beſell,
Whose chaunce it was, that ſoone he did repent,
To take that way, in which that Damozell
Was ſleed afore, affraid of him, as ſeend of hell.

At laſt of her far of he gained vew:
Then gan he freshely pricke his ſomy ſteed,
And euer as he nigher to her drew,
So euermore he did increaſe his ſpeed,
And of each turning ſtill kept wary heed:
Alowd to her he oftentimes did call,
To doe away vaine doubt, and needleſe dreed:
Full myld to her he ſpake, and oft let fall

Many meeke wordes, to stay and comfort her withall.

But

458

The third Book of Cant. III.

But nothing might relent her hafty flight;
So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine
Was earft impreffed in her gentle ſpright:
Like as a fearefull Doue, which through the raine,
Of the wide ayre her way does cut amaine,
Hauing farre off eſpyde a Taffell gent,
Which after her his nimble winges doth ſtraine,
Doubleth her haſt for feare to bee for-hent,
And with her pineons cleaues the liquid firmament.

With no leſſe haſt, and eke with no leſſe dreed,
That fearefull Ladie fledd from him, that ment
To her no euill thought, nor euill deed;
Yet former feare of being fowly ſhent,
Carried her forward with her firſt intent:
And though oft looking backward, well ſhe vewde,
Her ſelſe freed from that ſoſter inſolent,
And that it was a knight, which now her ſewde,
Yet ſhe no leſſe the knight feard, then that villein rude,

His vncouth ſhield and ſtraunge armes her diſmayd,
Whose like in Faery lond were ſeldom ſeene,
That faſt ſhe from him fledd, no leſſe aſrayd,
Then of wilde beaſtes if ſhe had chaſed beene:
Yet he her followd ſtill with corage keene,
So long that now the golden *Hesperus*
Was mounted high in top of heauen ſheene,
And warnd his other brethren ioyeous,
To light their bleſſed lamps in *Iones* eternall hous.

All ſuddeinly dim wox the damp ſhіſh ayre,
And grieſtly ſhadowes couered heauen bright,
That now with thouſand ſtarres was decked ſayre;
Which when the Prince beheld, a lothſull fight,
And

459

Cant. IIII.

the Faëry Queene.

And that perſorce, for want of lenger light,
He mote ſurceaſſe his ſuit, and loſe the hope
Of his long labour, he gan fowly wyte
His wickéd fortune, that had turnd aſlope,
And curſed night, that reſt from him so goodly ſcope.

Tho when her wayes he could no more deſcry,
Butto and fro at diſauenture ſtrayd;
Like as a ſhip, whoſe Lodeſtar ſuſdeinly
Couered with cloudes, her Pilott hath diſmayd,
His wearisome purſuit perſorce he ſtayd,
And from his loftie ſteed diſmounting low,
Did let him forage. Downe himſelſe he layd
Vpon the graſſy ground, to ſleepe a throw;
The cold earth was his couch, the hard ſteele his pillow.

But gentle Sleepe enuyde him any reſt;
In ſtead thereof ſad forow, and diſdaine
Of his hard hap did vexe his noble breſt,
And thouſand fancies bett his ydle brayne
With their light wings, the ſights of ſemblants vaine:
Oſt did he wifh, that Lady faire mote bee
His faëry Queene, for whom he did complaine:
Or that his Faëry Queene were ſuch, as thee:
And euer haſty Night he blamed bitterlie.

Night thou ſoule Mother of annoyaunce ſad,
Sifter of heauie death, and nourſe of woe,
Which waſt begot in heauen, but for thy bad
And brutiſh ſhape thrust downe to hell below,
Where by the grim ſloud of *Cocytus* flow
Thy dwelling is, in *Herebus* black hous,
(Black *Herebus* thy husband is the foe
Of all the Gods) where thou vngratious,
Halſe of thy dayes doſt lead in horrour hideous.

What

The third Booke of

Cant. III. II.

What had th'eternall Maker need of thee,
The world in his continuall course to keepe,
That doeſt all thingses deface,ne letteſt ſee
The beautie of his worke? Indeed in ſleepe
The ſlouthfull body, that doth loue to ſteep
His luſtleſſe limbes,and drowne his baſer mind,
Doth praiſe thee oft,and oft from Stygian deepe
Calles thee, his goddeſſe in his errour blind, (kind,
And great Dame Natures handmaide,chearing euery

But well I wote,that to an heauy hart
Thou art the roote and nourſe of bitter cares,
Breeder of new, renewer of old ſmarts:
In ſtead of reſt thou lendeſt rayling teares,
In ſtead of ſleepe thou ſendeſt troublous ſeares,
And dreadfull viſions,in the which alive
The dreary image of ſad death appeares:
So from the wearie ſpirit thou doeſt driue
Deſired reſt, and men of happineſſe depriue.

Vnder thy mantle black there hidden lye,
Light ſhonning theſte,and traiterous intent,
Abhorred bloodiſhed,and vile ſelony,
Shamefull de receipt,and daunger imminent,
Fowle horror,and eke helliſh dreriment:
All theſe I wote in thy proteſtion bee,
And light doe ſhonne, for ſeare of being ſhent:
For light ylike 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

the Faerie Queene.

Cant. III. II.

The children of day be the bleſſed ſeed,
Which darkneſſe ſhall ſubdue, and heauen win:
Truth is his daughter; he her firſt did breed,
Moft 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 expeſted 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, the it is, that hath me done deſpight:
There let her with the damned ſpirits dwell,
And yield her rowme to day, that can it gouerne well.

Thus did the Prince that wearie night outweare,
In reſtleſſe anguich and vnquiet paine:
And earely,ere the morrow did vpreare
His deawy head out of the Ocean maine,
Hevp aroſe, as halſe 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 ſeem'd t'apply his ſteps to his intent.

Cant.

The third Booke of

Cant. V.

Cant. V.

Prince Arthur heares of Florimell:
three fosters Timias Wound,
Belphebe findes him almost dead,
and reareth out of wend.

W
Onder it is to fee, in diuerse mindes,
How diuerfly 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 senfuall 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 idlenſe,
In his free thought to build her fluggifh neſt:
Ne suffereth it thought of vngentlenſe,
Euer to creepe into his noble breſt,
But to the highest and the worthieſt
Lifeth 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 ilſue thence, till that at laſt
He met a Dwarſe, that ſeemed terrifyde
With ſome late perill, which he hardly paſt,

Or

Cant. V.
the Faery Queene.

Or other accident, which him aghaſt;
Of whom he asked, whence he lately came,
And whether now he traueiled ſo ſaſt:
For fore he ſwat, and ronning through that fame
Thicke foreſt, was beſcracht, & both his feet nigh lame.

Panting for breath, and almost out of hart,
The Dwarſe him anſwerd, Sir, ill mote I ſtay
To tell the fame. I lately did depart
From Faery court, where I haue many a day
Serued a gentle Lady of great ſway,
And high accompt through out all Elſin land,
Who lately left the fame, and tooke this way :
Her now I ſeeke, and if ye vnderſand
Which way ſhe fared hath, good Sir tell out of hand.

What mifter wight, (faide 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 (faide he) such one I weene,
Faſt flying through this foreſt from her ſo,
A foule ill ſauoured foster, I haue ſeene;
Her ſelfe, well as I might, I reskewd tho,
But could not ſtay; ſo ſaſt ſhe did foregoe,
Carried away with wings of ſpeedy ſeare.
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.

Gg

463

Perdy

464

The third Booke of

Cant. V.

Perdy me leuer were to weeten that,
(Saide he) then ransome of the richeft knight,
Or all the good that euer yet I gat:
But froward fortune, and too forward Night
Such happineſſe did, maulgre, to me ſpight,
And fro me reſt both life and light attone.
But Dwarſe 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 ſtedſaft chaſtitie and vertue rare,
The goodly ornaments of beautie bright;
And is ſcleped Florimell the ſayre,
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 ſoe
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.

There-

Cant. V.

the Faerie Queene.

465

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 dire& the way,
Do one, or other good, I you moſt humbly pray.

So may ye gaine to you full great renowne,
Of all good Ladies through the world ſo wide,
And haply in her hart ſinde higheſt rowme,
Of whom ye ſeeke to be moſt magniſide:
At leaſt eternall meede ſhall you abide.
To whom the Prince; Dwarſe, 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 Dwarſe he backe retourn'd againe,
To ſeeke his Lady, where he mote her ſinde;
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 more 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 affayd
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 (hid
Through the thicke woods, wherein he would haue
His ſhamefull head from his auengement ſtrong,
And of him threatned death for his outrageous wrong.

Gg 2

Nathleſſe

466 The third Booke of

Cant. V.

Nathleſſe the villein ſped him ſelfe so well,
Whether through ſwiftneſſe of his ſpeedie beaſt,
Or knowledge of thoſe woods, where he did dwell,
That ſhortly he from daunger was releaſt,
And out of ſight eſcaped at the leaſt;
Yet not eſcaped from the dew reward
Of his bad deedes, which daily he increaſt,
Ne ceaſed not, till him oppreſſed hard
The heauie plague, that for ſuch leachours is prepard.

For ſoone as he was vaniſht out of ſight,
His coward courage gan emboldned bee,
And caſt t'auenge him of that fowle deſpight,
Which he had borne of his bold enimee.
Tho to his brethren came: for they were three
Vngratious children of one graceleſſe ſyre,
And vnto them complayned, how that he
Had vſed beene of that foolhardie Squyre;
So them with bitter words he ſtird to bloodie yre.

Forthwith them ſelues with their ſad inſtruments
Of ſpoyle and murder they gan arme byliue,
And with him ſoorth into the forreſt went,
To wreake the wrath, which he did earſt reuiue
In their ſterne breſts, on him which late did druiſe
Their brother to reproch and chamefull ſlight:
For they had vow'd, that neuer he aliue
Out of that foreſt ſhould eſcape their might;
Vile rancour their rude harts had ſild with ſuch deſpight

Within that wood there was a couert glade,
Foreby a narrow ſoord, to them well knowne,
Through which it was vneath for wight to made,
And now by fortune it was ouerflowne:

By

Cant. V. the Faery Queene.

467

By that ſame way they knew that Squyre vnknowne
Mote algates paſſe; for thy them ſelues they ſet
There in await, with thicke woods ouer growne,
And all the while their malice they did whet
With cruell threats, his paſſage through the ford to let.

It fortuned, as they deuized had,
The gentle Squyre came ryding that ſame way,
Vnweeting of their wile and treaſon bad,
And through the ford to paffen did aſſay;
But that ſierce foſter, which late ſled away,
Stoutly ſoorth ſtepping on the further ſhore,
Him boldly bad his paſſage there to ſtay,
Till he had made amends, and full reſtore
For all the damage, which he had him doen afore.

With that at him a quiu'ring dart he threw,
With ſo fell force and villeinous despite,
That through his habericon the forkehead ſlew,
And through the linked mayles empierced quite,
But had now powre in his ſoft ſleſh to bite:
That ſtroke the hardy Squire did ſore diſpleaſe,
But more that him he could not come to ſmite;
For by no meanes the high banke he could ſeaſe,
But labour'd long in that deepe ford with vaine diſeaſe.

And ſtill the foſter with his long boreſpeare
Him kept from landing at his wiſhed will,
Anone one ſent out of the thicket neare
A cruell ſhaft, headed with deadly ill,
And fethered with an vnlucky quill;
The wicked ſteele ſtayed not, till it did light
In his left thigh, and deeply did it thrill:
Exceeding grieſe that wound in him empight,
But more that with his foes he could not come to fight.

Gg 3

At

The third Booke of

Cant. V.

468

At last through wrath and vengeaunce making way,
He on the bancke arryud with mickle payne,
Where the third brother him did fore affay,
And drove at him with all his might and mayne
A foret bill, which both his hands did flrayne,
But warily he did auoide the blow,
And with his speare requited him agayne,
That both his fides were thrilled with the throw,
And a large fltreame of flood out of the wound did flow.

He bobbling downe, with gnawing teeth did bite
The bitter earth, and bad to lett him in
Into the balefull house of endlesse night,
Where wicked ghouls doe waile their former sin.
Tho gan the battaile freshly to begin;
For nathemore for that spectacle bad,
Did th'other two their cruell vengeaunce blin,
But both attonce on both fides him beftad,
And load vpon him layd, his life for to haue had.

Tho when that villayn he auiz'd, which late
Affrighted had the faireft Florimell,
Full of fiers fury, and indignant hate,
To him he turned, and with rigor fell
Smote him so rudely on the Pannikell,
That to the chin he clefte his head in twaine:
Downe on the ground his carkas groueling fell;
His finfull fowle with desperate difdaine,
Out of her flefhy ferme fled to the place of paine.

That seeing now the only last of three,
Who with that wicked fhafte him wounded had,
Trembling with horror, as that did forefee
The fearefull end of his auengement lad,

Through

the Faery Queene.

Cant. V.

Through which he follow should his brethren bad,
His booteleſſe bow in feeble hand vpcaught,
And therewith fhott an arrow at the lad;
Which ſayntly fluttring, ſcarce his helmet rought,
And glauncing ſel to ground, but him annoyed naught.

With that he would haue fled into the wood;
But Timias him lightly ouerhent,
Right as he entring was into the flood,
And ftrooke at him with force so violent,
That headleſſe him into the foord he ſent:
The carcas with the ſtreame was carried downe,
But th'head fell backeward on the Continent,
So miſchief ſel vpon the meaners crowne; (renowne.)
They three be dead with ſhame, the Squire liues with

Heliués, but takes small ioy of his renowne;
For of that cruell wound he bled ſo fore,
That from his ſteed he fell in deadly ſwowne;
Yet ſtill the blood forth gufft in ſo great ſtore,
That he lay wallow'd all in his owne gore.
Now God thee keepe, thou gentleft ſquire aliue;
Els ſhall thy louing Lord thee ſee no more,
But both of comfort him thou ſhalt deprive,
And eke thy ſelfe of honor, which thou didſt atchiue.

Prouidence heuenly paffeth liuing thought,
And doth for wretched mens relieſe make ways
For ſoe great grace or fortune thether brought
Comfort to him, that comfortleſſe now lay.
In thofe ſame woods, ye well remember may,
How that a noble huntereſſe did wonne,
Shee, that bafe Braggadochio did affray,
And made him faſt out of the foreſt ronne;
Belphebe was her name, as faire as Phebus ſunne.

Gg 4

469

Shee

470
The third Booke of

Cant. V.

She on a day, as shee purſewd the chace
Of ſome wilde beaſt, which with her arrowes keene
She wounded had, the fame along did trace
By traſt of blood, which ſhe had freſhly ſeene,
To haue beſprinckled all the graſſy greene,
By the great perſue, which ſhe there perceau'd,
Well hoped ſhee the beaſt engor'd had beene,
And made more haſte, the life to haue bereav'd:
But ah, her expeſtation greatly was deceau'd.

Shortly ſhe came, whereas that woefull Squire
With blood deformed, lay in deadly ſwownd:
In whose faire eyes, like lamps of quenched fire,
The Chriſtall humor ſtood congealed rownd,
His locks, like faded leaues fallen to grownd,
Knotted with blood, in bounches rudely ran,
And his ſweete lips, on which before that ſtownd
The bud of youth to bloſſome faire began,
Spoild of their roſy red, were woxen pale and wan.

Saw neuer liuing eie more heauy fight,
That could haue made a rocke of ſtone to rew,
Or riue in twaine: which when that Lady bright
Besides all hope with melting eies did vew,
All ſuddeinly abaſt ſhee chaunged hew,
And with ſterne horror backward gan to ſtart:
But when ſhee bitter him beheld, ſhee grew
Full of ſoft paffion and vnwonted ſmart:
The point of pitty perced through her tender hart.

Meekely ſhee bowed downe, to weete if life
Yett in his froſen members did remaine,
And feeling by his pulſes beating rife,
That the weake ſowle her ſeat did yett retaine,

Shee

Cant. V.
the Faëry Queene.

471

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 habercion ſhe did vndight,
And from his head his heauy burganet did light.

Into the woods thenceforth in haſte ſhee went,
To ſeeke for hearbes, that mote him remedy;
For ſhee of herbes had great intendment,
Taught of the Nymphe, which from her infancy
Her nourced had in trew Nobility:
There, whether yt diuine Tobacco were,
Or Panacea, or Polygony,
Shee ſownd, 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 peeces bruze,
And then at weene her lilly handes twaine,
Into his wound the iuice thereof did ſcruze,
And round about, as ſhe could well it vze,
The ſleſh therewith ſhee ſuppled and did ſteepe,
T'abate all ſpafme, and ſoke the ſwelling bruze,
And after hauing ſearcht the intuſe deepe,
She with her ſcarf did bind the woüd fröh cold to keepe.

By this he had ſweet life reeur'd agayne,
And groning inly deepe, at laſt his eies,
His watry eies, drizling like deawy rayne,
He vp gan lifte toward the azure skies,
From whence defcend all hopeleſſe remedies:
Therewith he ſigh'd, and turning him afide,
The goodly Maide ful of diuinities,
And gifts of heauenly grace he by him ſpide,
Her bow and gilden quiuer lying him beſide,

Mercy

The third Booke of

Cant. V.

Mercy deare Lord (said he) what grace is this,
That thou haft shewed to me sinfull wight,
To fend thine Angell from her bowre of blis,
To comfort me in my diftrefled 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 falues and med'cines ſweete,
Haſt drefſt my ſinfull wounds ? I kiffe thy bleſſed ſeete.

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 ſhalbe well apayd.
Wee mortall wights, whose liues and fortunes bee
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 Belphæbe, in the bloody place,
And thereby deemd the beaſt had bene depri'u'd
Of life, whom late their ladies arrow ryu'd:
For thy the bloody traſt they followd ſaſt,
And euery one to ronne the ſwiftet ſtryu'd;
But two of them the reſt far ouerpaſt,
And where their Lady was, arriued at the laſt.

Where when they ſaw that goodly boy, with blood,
Defowled, and their Lady drefſe his wownd,
They wondred much, and ſhortly vnderſtood,
How him in deadly caſe theyr Lady ſownd,

And

the Faery Queene.

Cant. V.

And reskewed out of the heavy ſtownd,
Eſttoones his watlike courſer, which was ſtrayd
Farre in the woodes, whiles that he lay in ſwownd,
She made thofe 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 pleafant glade,
With mountaines rownd about enuironed,
And mightrie woodes, which did the valley ſhade,
And like a ſtately Theatre it made,
Spreading it ſelſe into a ſpatious plaine.
And in the midſt a little riuer plaide
Emongſt the pumy ſtones, which ſeemd to plaine
With gëtle murmure, that their courſ they did reſtraine.

Befide the fame a dainty place there lay,
Planted with mirtle trees and laurells greene,
In which the birds ſong many a louely lay
Of gods high præife, and of their ſweet loues teene,
As it an earthly Paradize had beene:
In whole 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 more well delight.

Thether they brought that wounded Squyre, and layd
In eafie couch his feeble limbes to reſt,
Hereſted him a while, and then the Mayd
His readie wound with better falues new drefſt,
Daily ſhe drefled him, and did the beſt
His grieuous hurt to guarifh, that ſhe might,
That ſhortly ſhe his dolour hath redreſt,
And his foule ſore reduced to faire plight:
It ſhe reduced, but him ſelſe destroyed quight.

O foo-

474

The third Booke of

Cant. V.

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 found,
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 fore, 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 ſayre 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 fame to loue he ſtrongly was conſtraynd:
But when his meane eſtate he did reuew,
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 doest quight?
Thy life ſhe faued by her gratious deed,
But thou doest weene with villeminous deſpight,

To

Cant. V.

the Faëry Queene.

475

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 from 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 huing her adore;
Thy life the gaue, thy life the 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 few?
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 vouchſaſe to take
The loue and ſeruice of the bafeſt crew?
If the 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 viſtour proud, gan ranſacke ſaſt
His inward partes, and all his entrayles waſt,
That neither blood in face, nor life in hart
It left, but both did quite drye vp, and blaſſ
As percing leuin, which the inner part
Of euery thing consumes, and calcineth by art.

Which

476

The third Booke of

Cant. V.

Which seeing fayre Belphebe, gan to feare,
Least that his wound were inly well not heald,
Or that the wicked steele empoynd were:
Little fée weend, that loue he close conceald;
Yet still he wafted, as the snow congeald,
When the bright sunne his beams theron doth beat;
Yet neuer he his hart to her reueald,
But rather chose to dye for forow great,
Then with dishonorable termes her to entreat.

She gracious Lady, yet no paines did spare,
To doe him eale, or doe him remedy:
Many Restoratiues of vertues rare,
And costly Cordialles she did apply,
To mitigate his ftubborne malady:
But that sweet Cordiall, which can restore
A loue-sick hart, she did to him enuy;
To him, and to all th'vnworthy world forlore
She did enuy that soueraine falue, in secret store.

That daintie Rose, the daughter of her Morne,
More deare then life she tendered, whose flowre
The girlond of her honour did adorne:
Ne suffred she the Middayes scorching powre,
Ne the sharp Northerne wind thereon to showre,
But lapped vp her silken leaues most chayre,
When so the froward skye began to lowre;
But soone as calmed was the chriftall ayre,
She did it fayre dispred, and let to florish fayre.

Eternall God in his almightie powre,
To make enſample of his heauenly grace,
In Paradize whylome did plant this flowre;
Whence he it fetcht out of her native place,

And

477

the Faerie Queene.

Cant. V.

And did in ſtocke of earthly ſlesh enrace,
That mortall men her glory should admyre
In gentle Ladies brefte, and bounteous race
Of woman kind it fayreſt flowre doth ſpyre,
And beareth fruit of honour and all chaſt deſyre.

Fayre ympes of beautie, whose bright ſhining beames
Adorne the world with like to heauenly light,
And to your willes both royalties and Reames
Subdew, through coſqueft of your wondrous might,
With this fayre flowre your goodly girlonds dight,
Of chaſtity and vertue virginall,
That ſhall embellifh more your beautie bright,
And crowne your heades with heauenly coronall,
Such as the Angels were before Gods tribunall.

Toyoure faire ſelues a faire enſample frame,
Of this faire virgin, this Belphebe fayre,
To whom in perſeft loue, and ſpotleſſe fame
Of chaſtitie, none liuing may compayre:
Ne poyſnous Enuy iuſtly can empayre
The prayſe of her fresh ſlowring Maydenhead;
For thy ſhe ſtandeth on the highest ſlayre
Of th'honorable ſtage of womanhead,
That Ladies all may follow her enſample dead.

In ſo great prayſe of ſtedſaft chaſtity,
Nathleſſe ſhe was ſo courteous and kynde,
Tempred with grace, and goodly modety,
That seemed thofe two vertues ſtroue to ſynd
The higher place in her Heroick mynd:
So ſtriuing each did other more augment,
And both encreaſt the prayſe of woman kynde,
And both encreaſt her beautie excellent
So all did make in her a perſect complement,

Cant.

478

The third Booke of

Cant. VI.

Cant. VI.

The birth of fayre Belphoebe and,
Of Amorett is told.

The Gardins of Adonis fraught
With pleafures manifold.

W Ell may I weene, faire Ladies, all this while
Ye wonder, how this noble Damozell
So great perfections did in her compile,
Sith that in faluage forefts she did dwell,
So farre from court and royall Citadell,
The great Schoolmaistrefle of all courtesy:
Seemeth that such wilde woodes should far expell
All ciuile vsage and gentility,
And gentle sprite deforme with rude ruſticity.

But to this faire Belphæbe in her berth
The heuens so fauorable were and free,
Looking with myld aspect vpon the earth,
In th'Hor of scope of her natiuitee,
That all the gifts of grace and chaſtitee
On her they poured forth of plenteous horne;
Ioue laught on Venus from his fouerayne ſee,
And Phæbus with faire beames did her adorne,
And all the Graces rockt her cradle being borne.

Her berth was of the wombe of Morning dew,
And her conception of the ioyous Prime,
And all her whole creation did her ſhew
Pure and vnſpotted from all loathly crime,

That

479

Cant. VI. the Faery Queene.

That is ingenerate in fleshly slime.
So was this virgin borne, so was she bred,
So was she trayned vp from time to time,
In all chaſte vertue, and true bounti-hed
Till to her dew perſection she were ripened.

Her mother was the faire Chrysogonee,
The daughter of Amphisa, who by race
A Faerie was, yborne of high degree,
She bore Belphæbe, she bore in like cace
Fayre Amoretta in the ſecond place:
These two were twinnes, & twixt them two did share
The heritage of all celestiall grace.
That all the reſt it ſeemd they robbed bare
Of bouncy, and of beautie, and all vertues rare.

It were a goodly ſtorie, to declare,
By what ſtraunge accident faire Chrysogone
Conceiu'd theſe infants, and how them she bore,
In this wilde forreſt wandring all alone,
After she had nine moneths ſuſıld and gone:
For not as other wemens commune brood,
They were enwombed in the ſacred throne
Of her chaſte bodie, nor with commune food,
As other wemens babes, they ſucked vitall blood.

But wondrously they were begot, and bred
Through influence of th'heuens fruitfull ray,
As it in antique bookes is mentioned.
It was vpon a Sommers ſhinie day,
When Titan faire his beames did diſplay,
In a fresh fountaine, far from all mens vew,
She bath'd her breſt, the boyling heat t'allay;
She bath'd with roſes red, and violets blew,
And all the ſwecteſt flowres, that in the forreſt grew.

H h

Till

The third Booke of Cant. VI.

480

Till faint through yrkesome wearines, adowne
Vpon the graffy ground her selfe the layd
To sleepe, the whiles a gentle flombring swowne
Vpon her fell all naked bare displayd;
The funbeames bright vpon her body playd,
Being through former bathing mollifide,
And pierft into her wombe, where they embayd
With so sweet fence and secret power vnfpide,
That in her pregnant fleth they shortly fruftifide.

Miraculous may seeme to him, that reades
So ftraunge enfample of conception,
But reafon teacheth that the fruitfull feades
Of all things liuing, through impreffion
Of the funbeames in moyft complexion,
Doe life conceiue and quickned are by kynd:
So after Nilus invndation,
Infinite fхapes of creatures men doe fynd,
Informed in the mud, on which the Sunne hath fhynd,

Great father he of generation
Is rightly cald, th'authour of life and light;
And his faire fifter for creation
Miniftreth matter fit, which tempred right
With heate and humour, breedes the liuing wight.
So ſprong theſe twinnes in womb of Chryſogone,
Yet wift the nought thereof, but ſore affright,
Wondred to ſee her belly ſo vpblone,
Which ſtill increaſt, till ſhe her terme had full outgone.

Whereof conceiuing ſhame and foule difgrace,
Albe her guiltleſſe confcience her cleard,
She fled into the wilderneſſe a ſpace,
Till that vnweeldy burden ſhe had reard,

And

the Faerie Queene.

Cant. VI.

And ſhund diſhonor, which as death ſhe feard:
Where wearie of long traueill, downe to reſt
Her ſelfe ſhe fet, and comfortably cheard;
There a ſad cloud of sleepe her ouerkeſt,
And ſeized euery ſence with ſorrow ſore oppreſt.

It ſortuned, faire Venus hauing loft
Her little ſonne, the winged god of loue,
Who for ſome light diſpleafure, which him croſt,
Was from her fled, as fit as ayery Deue,
And left her blisfull bowre of ioy aboue,
(So from her often he had fled away,
When ſhe for ought him ſharply did reproue,
And wandred in the world in ſtraunge aray,
Difguiz'd in thouſand ſhapes, that none might him be-
(wray.)

Him for to ſeeke, ſhe left her heauenly hous,
The house of goodly formes and faire aſpect,
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 traſt ſhe more deteſt:
She promiſt kiffes ſweet, and ſweeter things,
Vnto the man, that of him tydings to her brings,

First ſhe him ſought in Court, where moſt he ſvid
Whylome to haunt, but there ſhe found him not;
But many there ſhe found, which ſore accuſd
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 empoyſed ſhot
Their wofull harts he wounded had whyleare,
And ſo had left them languifhing twixt hope and ſeare.

Hh 2

She

481

482

The third Booke of
Cant. VI.

She then the Cities fought 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 mitchieuous deedes, and fayd, 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 fought,
And in the rurall cottages inquir'd,
Where also many plaintes to her were brought,
How he their heedeleffe 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 faluage 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 Diames company.

Shortly vnto the waſtefull woods ſhe came,
Whereas ſhe found the Goddeſſe with her crew;
After late chace of their embrewed game,
Sitting beiſide a fountaine in a rew,

Some:

Cant. VI.
the Faery Queene.

483

Some of them waſhing with the liquid dew
From of their dainty limbs the dufly sweat,
And ſoyle which did deforme their liely 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 filuer 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 hafte,
Now loofe about her shoulders hong vndight,
And were with sweete Ambroſia all beſprinckled light.

Soone as ſhe Venus ſaw behinde her backe,
She was aſham'd to be ſo loofe ſurpriz'd
And woxe halſe wroth againſt her damzels ſlacke,
That had not her thereof before auiz'd,
But ſuffred her ſo careleſly diſguiz'd
Be ouertaken. Soone her garments loofe
Vpgathering, in her boſome ſhe compriz'd,
Well as the 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, (fraught:
From her ſweete bowres, and beds with pleaſures
That ſuddein chaung ſhe ſtraung aduenture thought.
To whom halſe weeping, ſhe thus anſwered,
That ſhe her deareſt ſonne Cupido ſought,
Who in his frowardnes from her was ſled;
That ſhe repented ſore, to haue him angered.

Thereat

Hh 3

484

The third Booke of

Cant. VI.

Thereat Diana gan to smile, in fcorne
Of her vaine playnt, and to her fcoffing fayd;
Great pitty fure, that ye be so forlorne
Of your gay fonne, that giues ye so good ayd
To your diſports: ill mote ye bene apayd,
But ſhe was more engrieued, and replide;
Faire fifter, ill beſeemes it to 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 fett, to chace the ſaluage beaſts,
So my delight is all in ioyfulneſſe,
In beds, in bowres, in banckets, and in ſeaſts:
And ill becomes you with your loftye 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 ſifter, with reproh my paine to ecke.

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 eafe 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 Phæbe therewith ſore was angered,
And ſharply ſaide, Goe Dame, goe ſeeke your boy,
Where you him lately leſte, in Mars his bed;
He comes not here, we ſcorne his foolish ioy,

Ne

Cant. VI.

the Faëry Queene.

485

Ne lend we leifure 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:
Ile 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 ftö 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 ſoreft 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 fame 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 concei'u'd
Withouten pleafure: ne her need implore
Lucinaes aide: which when they both percei'u'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.

H h 4

Vp

488 The third Booke of

Cant. VI.

Vp they them tooke, eachone a babe vptooke,
And with them carried, to be fostered;
Dame Phebe to a Nymphe her babe betooke,
To be vpbrought in perſe& Maydenhed,
And of her ſelfe her name Belphæbe red:
But Venus hers thence far away conuayd,
To be vpbrought in goodly womanhed,
And in her little loues ſtead, which was ſtrayd,
Her Amoretta cald, to comfort her diſmayd.

Shee brought her to her ioyous Paradize,
Wher moſt the wonnes, whe ſhe on earth does dwell,
So faire a place, as Nature can deuize:
Whether in Paphos, or Cythereon hill,
Or it in Gnidas bee, I wote not well;
But well I wote by triall, that this fame
All other pleasaunt places doth excell,
And called is by her loft louers name,
The Gardin of Adonis, far renowmd by fame.

In that fame Gardin all the goodly flowres,
Wherewith dame Nature doth her beautify,
And decks the girlonds of her Paramoures,
Are fetcht: there is the firſt ſeminary
Of all things, that are borne to liue and dye,
According to their kynds. Long worke it were,
Here to account the endleſe progeny
Of all the weeds, that bud and bloſſome there;
But ſo much as doth need, muſt needs be counted here.

It ſited was in fruitfull ſoyle of old,
And girt in with two walls on either side;
The one of yron, the other of bright gold,
That none might thorough breake, nor ouer-stride:
And

Cant. VI. the Faëry Queene.

489

And double gates it had, which opened wide,
By which both in and out men moten pas;
Th'one faire and fresh, the other old and dride:
Old *Genius* the porter of them was,
Old *Genius*, the which a double nature has.

He letteth in, he letteth out to wend,
All that to come into the world deſire;
A thousand thousand naked babes attend
About him day and night, which doe require,
That he with fleſhly weeds would them attire:
Such as him lift, such as eternall fate
Ordained hath, he clothes with ſinfull mire,
And ſendeth forth to liue in mortall state,
Till they agayn returne backe by the hinder gate.

After that they againe retourned beene,
They in that Gardin planted bee agayne;
And grow afresh, as they had neuer ſeene
Fleshly corruption, nor mortall payne.
Some thousand yeares ſo doen they there remayne,
And then of him are clad with other hew,
Or ſent into the chaungefull world agayne,
Till thether they retourne, where firſt they grew:
So like a wheele arownd they ronne from old to new.

Ne needs there Gardiner to ſett, or ſow,
To plant or prune: for of their owne accord
All things, as they created were, doe grow,
And yet remember well the mighty word,
Which firſt was ſpoken by th'Almighty lord,
That bad them to increafe and multiply :
Ne doe they need with water of the ford,
Or of the clouds to moyſten their roots dry;
For in them ſelues eternall moisture they imply.

Infinite

488

The third Booke of

Cant. VI.

Infinite shapes of creatures there are bred,
And vncouth formes, which none yet euer knew,
And euery fort is in a fondry bed
Sett by it selfe, and ranckt in comely rew:
Some fitt for reafonable fowles t'indew,
Some made for beafts, some made for birds to weare,
And all the fruitfull spawne of fiftles hew
In endlesse rancks along enraunged were,
That seemd the Ocean could not containe them there.

Daily they grow, and daily forth are sent
Into the world, it to replenifh more,
Yet is the stocke not leffened, nor ſpent,
But ſtill remaines in euerlafing ſtore,
As it at firſt created was of yore.
For in the wide wombe of the world there lyes,
In hatefull darknes and in deepe horror,
An huge eternal Chaos, which ſupplyes
The ſubſtaunces of natures fruitfull progenyes.

All things from thence doe their firſt being fetch,
And borrow matter, whereof they are made,
Which whenas forme and feature it does ketch,
Becomes a body, and doth then inuade
The ſtate of life, out of the grieſh ſhade.
That ſubſtaunce is eterne, and bideth so,
Ne when the life decayes, and forme does fade,
Doth it confume, and into nothing goe,
But chaunged is, and often altred to and froe.

The ſubſtaunce is not chaungd, nor altered,
But th'only forme and outward ſaſtion;
For euery ſubſtaunce is conditioned
To chaunge her hew, and ſondry formes to don

Meet

Cant. VI.

the Faëry Queene.

489

Meet for her temper and complexion:
For formes are variable and decay,
By course of kinde, and by occasion;
And that faire flowre of beautie fades away,
As doth the lilly fresh before the funny ray.

Great enimy to it, and to all the reſt,
That in the Gardin of Adonis ſprings,
Is wicked Tyme, who with his ſcyth addreſt,
Does mow the flowring herbes and goodly things.
And all their glory to the ground downe flings,
Where they do wither, and are fowly mard:
He flyes about, and with his flaggy wings
Beates downe both leaues and buds without regard,
Ne euer pitty may relent his malice hard.

Yet pitty often did the gods relent,
To fee ſo faire thinges mard, and ſpoiled quight:
And their great mother Venuſ did lament
The ſoffe of her deare brood, her deare delight:
Her hart was pierſt with pitty at the fight,
When walking through the Gardin, them ſhe ſpyde,
Yet no'te ſhe find redreſſe for ſuch deſpight:
For all that liues, is ſubieſt to that law:
All things decay in time, and to their end doe draw.

But were it not, that Time their troubler is,
All that in this delightfull Gardin growes,
Should happy bee, and haue immortal blis:
For here all plenty, and all pleafure flowes,
And ſweete loue gentle fitts emongſt them throwes,
Without ſell rancor, or fond gealofy;
Frankly each Paramor his leman knowes,
Each bird his mate, ne any does enuy
Their goodly meriment, and gay felicity.

There

The third Book of

Cant. VI.

490

There is continuall Spring, and haruest there
Continuall, both meeting at one tyme:
For both the boughes doe laughing bloffoms beare,
And with fresh colours decke the wanton Pryme,
And eke attonce the heauenly trees they clyme,
Which seeme to labour vnder their fruites lode:
The whiles the ioyous birdes make their paflyme
Emongst the fhady leaues, their sweet abode,
And their trew loues without suspition tell abrode.

Right in the middeft of that Paradise,
There stood a stately Mount, on whose round top
A gloomy groue of myrtle trees did rife,
Whofe fhady boughes tharp steele did neuer lop,
Nor wicked beaftes their tender buds did crop,
But like a girlond compassed the hight,
And from their fruitfull fydes sweet gum did drop,
That all the ground with pretious deaw, bedight,
Threw forth moft dainty odours, & moft sweet delight.

And in the thickeft couert of that fhade,
There was a pleafaunt Arbcr, not by art,
But of the trees owne inclination made,
Which knitting their rancke braunches part to part,
With wanton yuie twyne entrayld athwart,
And Eglantine, and Caprifole emong,
Fashiond aboue within their immoſt part,
That nether *Phoebus* beams could through the thróg,
Nor *Aeolus* tharp blaſt could worke them any wrong.

And all about grew euery fort of flowre,
To which fad louers were transformde of yore;
Fresh *Hyacinth bus*, *Phæbus* paramoure,
Foolifh *Mardiſſe*, that likes the watry ſhore,

Sad

the Faëry Queene.

491

Cant VI.

Sad *Amaranthus*, made a flowre but late,
Sad *Amaranthus*, in whose purple gore
Me ſeemes I see *Amintas* wretched fate,
To whom ſweet Poets verſe hath giuen endleſſe date.

There want ſayre *Venus* often to enjoy
Her deare *Adonis* ioyous company,
And reape ſweet pleafure of the wanton boy:
There yet, ſome ſay, in ſecret he does ly,
Lapped in flowres and prctious ſpycery,
By her hid from the world, and from the skill
Of *Stygian* Gods, which doe her loue enuy;
But the her ſelfe, when euer that he 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 forgoſt;
All be he ſubieſt to mortalitie,
Yet is eterne in mutabilitie,
And by ſucceſſion made perpetuall,
Transformed oft, and chaunged diuerſie:
For him the Father of all ſormes they call;
Therefore needs moſt 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 firmly hath emprifoned for ay,
That her ſweet loue his malice mote auoyd,
In a ſtrong rocky Caue, which is they ſay,
(may- Heauen vnderneath that Mount, that none him loſen
There:

492

The third Booke of

Cant. VI.

There now he liues in euerlafting ioy,
With many of the Gods in company,
Which thether haunt, and with the winged boy
Sporting him ſelſe in ſafe felicity:
Who when he hath with spoiles and cruelty
Ranſaſt the world, and in the wofull hartes
Of many wretches ſet his triuſaphes hye,
Thether ſerſortes, 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 ſtedſaſt 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
Commited her, yſoſtered 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 perſect ripenes grew,
Of grace and beautiſe noble Paragone,
She brought her forth into the worldes vew,
To be th'enſample of true loue alone,

And

Cant. VI.

the Faerie Queene.

493

And Lodeſtarre of all chaſte affection,
To all ſayre 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 caſt
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 forlore
Her former loue, and ſtedſaſt loialty,
As ye may eſtwhere reade that ruefull hiftory.

But well I weene, ye firſt deſire to learne,
What end vnto that ſeaſe ſull Damozell,
Which fledd ſo ſaſt from that ſame ſoſter 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 ſell, as ye did heare,
And from Prince Arthure ſled with wings of idle ſeare.

Cant.

The third Booke of
Cant. VII.

494

Cant. VII.

The witches fonne loues Florimell:

She flyes, he faines to dy.

Satyrane faues 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 fame euening ſhe in flying ſpent,
And all that night her courſe continewed:
Ne did ſhe let dull ſleepe once to relent,
Nor wearinesſe to ſlack her haſt, but ſled
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,
Perſorce her carried, where euer he thought beſt.

So long as breath, and hable puſſaunce
Did native corage vnto him ſupply,
His pace he freshly forward did aduauunce,
And carried her beyond all ieopardy;

But

Cant. VII.
the Faery Queene.

495

But nought that wanteth reſt, can long aby.
He hauing through ineſſant traueill ſpent
His force, at laſt perſorce adowne did ly,
Ne ſoot could further moue: The Lady gent
Thereat was ſudderin ſtrook with great aſtoniſhment.

And forſt t'alight, on ſoot mote algates ſare,
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 little valley, ſubieſt to the ſame,
All couerd with thick wooſes, that quite it ouercame.

Through the tops of the high trees ſhe did deſcry
A little ſmoke, whoſe vapour thin and light,
Reeking aloft, vprolled to the sky:
Which, chearefull ſigne did ſend vnto her ſight,
That in the ſame did wonne ſome liuing wight.
Eſtſoones her ſteps ſhe thereunto applyd,
And came at laſt in weary wretched plight
Vnto the place, to which her hope did guyde,
To ſinde 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 ſolitarie 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.

11

The

The third Booke of

Cant. VII.

The Damzell there arriving entred in;
Where sitting on the flore the Hag she found,
Bufie (as seem'd) about some wicked gin:
Who soone as she beheld that fudden stound,
Lightly vpstarted from the duftie ground,
And with fell looke and hollow deadly gaze
Stared on her awhile, as one aftound,
Ne had one word to speake, for great amaze, (daze,
But shewd by outward signes, that dread her fence did

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, vnsearcht.
To which the Damzell full of doubtfull thought,
Her mildly answer'd; Beldame be not wroth
With filly Virgin by aduenture brought
Vnto your dwelling, ignorant and loth,
That craue but rowme to rest, while tempeſt ouerblo'th.

With that adowne out of her chriftall eyne
Few trickling teares she softly forth let fall,
That like two orient perles, did purely flyne
Vpon her snowy cheeke; and therewithall
She sighed soft, that none so bestiall,
Nor faluage 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 wyfe,
With womanifh compassion of her plaint,
Wiping the teares from her suffused eyes,
And bidding her fit downe, to rest her faint

And

the Faerie Queene.

And wearie limbs a while. She nothing quaint
Nor 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.

Thogan 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 aftonifht 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 laeſly loord, for nothing good to donne,
But ſtretched forth in ydleneſſe alwayes,
Ne euer caſt his mind to couet prayſe,
Or ply him ſelſe to any hones ſtrade,
But all the day before the ſunny rayes
He vſd to flug, or ſleepe in flothfull ſhade:
Such laeſineſſe both lewd and poore attonce him made.

He comming home at vndertime, there found
The fayreſt creature, that he euer law,
Sitting beſide his mother on the ground;
The fight whereof did greatly him adaw,
And his bafe thought with terour 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 brightness daz'd,
Softare he on her, and ſtood long while amaz'd.

Ii2

Softly

497

498 The third Booke of

Cant. VII.

Softly at last he gan his mother aske,
What mifter wight that was, and whence deriu'd,
That in so straunge difguizement there did maske,
And by what accident she there arriu'd:
But she, as one nigh of her wits depriu'd,
With nought but ghaftly 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 was so meeke and myld,
That the to them vouchſafed 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 ſire;
Yet had he not the hard,nor hardiment,
As vnto her to viter his deſire;
His caytive thought durſt not so high aſpire,
But with ſoft ſighes,and louely ſemblaunces,
He ween'd that his affection entire
She should aread; many ſemblaunces

To her he made, and many kinde remembraunces.

Oſt from the forreſt wildings he did bring,
Whose ſides empurpled were with ſmyling red,
And oft young birds, which he had taught to ſing
His maſtreſſe praisſes, ſweetly caroled,

Girlands

Cant. VII.

the Faëry Queene.

499

Girlands of flowres sometimes for her faire hed
He fine would dight; sometimes the ſquirrell wild
He brought to her in bands, as conuered
To be her thrall, his fellow ſeruant vild; (mild.
All which, the of him tooke with countenance meeke &

But paſt awhile, when ſhe fit feaſon ſaw
To leaue that deſert manſion, ſhe caſt
In ſecret wize her ſelfe thence to withdraw,
For ſeare of miſchieſe, which ſhe did ſorecaſt
Might by the witch or by her ſonne compaſt:
Her wearie Palfrey cloſely, as ſhe might,
Now well recouered after long ſepaſt,
In his proud furnitures ſhe freshly dight,
His late miſwandred wayes now to remeaſure right.

And earely ere the dawning day appear'd,
She forth ilſewed, and on her iourey 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;
Heknockt his breſt with deſperate intent,
And scratcht his face, and with his teeth did teare
His rugged ſlesh, and rent his ragged heare:
That his ſad mother ſeeing his ſore plight,
Was greatly woe begon, and gan to ſeare,
Leaſt his fraile ſenſes were emperſiſt quight,
And loue to frenzy turnd, ſith loue is franticke hight.

Ii 3

All

The third Booke of

Cant. VII.

All wayes shee sought, him to restore to plight,
With herbs, with charms, with confessel, & with teares,
But tears, nor charms, nor herbs, nor counsell might
Affwage the fury, which his entrails teares:
So strong is passion, that no reason heares.
Who when all other helps 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.

Efteoones 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 eleſt,
Thereto ſo swifte, that it all beaſts did pas:
Like neuer yet did liuing eie deteſt;
But likeſt it to an Hyena was,

That feeds on wemens ſelſh, 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 ſcorne full grace.
The Monſter ſwifte as word, that from her went,
Went forth in hafte, and did her footing trace
So ſure and swifely, through his perſect ſent,
And paſſing ſpeede, that ſhortly he her ouerhent.

Whom when the ſeaſe ſull Damzell nigh eſpide,
No need to bid her faſt away to ſie;
That vgly ſhape ſo ſore her terrifide,
That it the ſhund no leſſe, then dread to die,

And

the Faery Queene.

Cant. VII.

And her flitt Palfrey did ſo well apply
His nimble feet to her conceived ſeare,
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 perceiuyd, ſhe was diſmayd
At that fame laſt extremity ſul ſore,
And of her ſafety greatly grew affrayd;
And now ſhe gan approch to the ſea ſhore,
As it befell, that ſhe could ſie 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 be tooke her doubtfull ſickerneſſe.

Not halſe ſo ſaſt the wicked *Myrrha* ſled
From dread of her reuenging fathers hond:
Nor halſe ſo ſaſt to ſaue her maydenhed,
Fled fearfull *Daphne* on th' *AEgean* ſtrond,
As *Florimell* ſled from that Monſter yond,
To reach the ſea, ere ſhe of him were raught:
For in the ſea to drowne her ſelfe ſhe ſond,
Rather then of the tyrant to be caught:
Thereto fear gaue her wings, & need her corage taught.

It fortuned (high God did ſo ordaine)
As ſhee arriued on the roring ſhore,
In minde to leape into the mighty maine,
A little bote lay hoving her before,
In which there ſlept a ſiſher old and pore,
The whiles his nets were drying on the sand:
Into the fame ſhee lept, and with the ore
Did thruſt the ſhallop from the floting ſtand:
So ſafety fownd at ſea, which ſhe fownd not at land.

Ii. 4

The

502 The third Booke of

Cant. VII.

The Monster ready on the pray to feaſe,
Was of his forward hope deceiued quight,
Ne durſt affay to wade the perlous ſeas,
But greedily long gaping at the fight,
At laſt in vaine was forſt to turne his flight,
And tell the idle tidings to his Dame:
Yet to auenge his diuelifhe deſpight,
He ſett vpon her Palfrey tired lame,
And ſlew him cruelly, ere any reskew came.

And after hauing him embowelled,
To fill his heliſh gorge, it chaunſt a knight
To paffe that way, as forth he traueiled;
Yt was a goodly Swaine, and of great might,
As euer man that bloody field did fight;
But in vain ſheows, that wont yong knights bewitch,
And courtly ſeruices tooke no delight,
But rather ioyd to bee, then ſeemen ſich:
For both to be and ſeeme to him was labor lich.

It was to weete the good Sir Satyrane,
That raungd abrode to ſeeke aduentures wilde,
As was his wopt in foreſt, and in plaine;
He was all armd in rugged ſteele vnſilde,
As in the ſmoky forge it was compilde,
And in his Scutehin bore a Satyres hedd:
He comming preſent, where the Monster vilde
Vpon that milke-white Palfreyes carcas fedd,
Vnto his reskew ran, and greedily him ſpedd.

There well perceiud he, that it was the horſe,
Whereon faire Flerimell was wont to ride,
That of that ſeend was rent without remorſe:
Much feared he, leaſt ought did ill betide

To

Cant. VII. the Faëry Queene:

503

To that faire Maide, the flowre of wemens pride;
For her he dearely loued, and in all
His famous conqueſt highly magniſide:
Befides her golden girdle, which did fall
From her in flight, he ſownd, that did him ſore apall.

Full of ſad ſeare, and doubtfull agony,
Fiercely he flew vpon that wicked ſeend,
And with huge ſtrokes, and cruell battery
Him forſt to leaue his pray, for to attend
Him ſelfe from deadly daunger to defend:
Full many wounds in his corrupted ſlesh
He did engraue, and muchell blood did ſpend,
Yet might not doe him die, but aie more ſresh
And fierce he ſtill appeard, the more he did him threſh.

He wift not, how him to deſpoile of life,
Ne how to win the wifhed victory,
Sith him he ſaw ſtill ſtronger grow through ſtrife,
And him ſelfe weaker through infirmity,
Greatly he grew enrag'd, and furiously
Hurling his ſword away, he lightly lept
Vpon the beaſt, that with great cruelty
Rored, and raged to be vnderkept:
Yet he perſorce him held, and ſtrokes vpon him hept.

As he that ſtries to ſtop a ſuddein flood,
And in ſtrong bancks his violence encloſe,
Forceth it ſwell aboue his wonted mood,
And largely ouerflow the fruitfull plaine,
That all the countrey ſeemes to be a Maine,
And the rich ſurrowes flore, all quite fordonne:
The wofull husbandman doth lowd complaine,
To ſee his whole yeares labor loft ſo ſoone,
For which to God he made ſo many an idle boone.

So

504

The third Booke of

Cant. VII.

So him he held, and did through might amate:
So long he held him, and him bett so long,
That at the last his fiercenes gan abate,
And meekely ftoup vnto the victor strong:
Who to auenge the implacable wrong,
Which he supposed donne to Florimell,
Sought by all meanes his dolor to prolong,
Sith dint of steele his carcas could not quell:
His maker with her charmes had framed him so well.

The golden ribband, which that virgin wore
About her sclender waſte, he tooke in hand,
And with it bownd the beaſt, that lowd didMORE
For great deſpight of that vnwonted band,
Yet dared not his victor to withstand,
But trembled like a lambe, fled from the pray,
And all the way him followd on the ſtrand,
As he had long bene learned to obay;
Yet neuer learned he ſuch ſeruice, till that day.

Thus as he led the Beaſt along the way,
He ſpide far of a mighty Giaunteſſe,
Faſt flying on a Courſer dapled gray,
From a bold knight, that with great hardineſſe
Her hard purſewd, and ſought for to ſupprefle,
She bore before her lap a dolefull Squire,
Lying athwart her horſe in great diſtreſſe,
Faſt bounden hand and ſoote with cords of wire,
Whom ſhe did meane to make the thrall of her deſire.

Which whenas Satyrane beheld, in haſte
He leſte his captiue Beaſt at liberty,
And croſt the neareſt way, by which he caſt
Her to encounter, ere ſhe paſſed by:

But

Cant. VII.

the Faëry Queene.

505

But ſhe the way ſhund nathemore for thy,
But forward gallopt ſaſt, which when he ſpyde,
His mighty ſpeare he couched warily,
And at her ran: ſhe hauing him deſcryde,
Her ſelſe to fight addreſt, and threw her lode afide.

Like as a Goſhauke, that in ſoote doth beare
A trembling Culuer, hauing ſpide on hight
An Eagle, that with plumy wings doth ſhear
The ſubtile ayre, ſtouping with all his might,
The quarrey throwes to ground with ſell deſpight,
And to the batteill doth her ſelſe prepare:
So ran the Geaunteſſe vnto the fight;
Her ſyrie eyes with ſurious ſparkes did ſtare,
And with blaſphemous banses high God in peeces take

She caught in hand an huge great yron mace,
Wherewith ſhe many had of life depriu'd;
But ere the ſtroke could ſeize his aymed place,
His ſpeare amidſ her ſun-brode ſhield arriu'd,
Yet nathemore the ſteele a ſonder riu'd,
All were the beame in bignes like a maſt,
Ne her out of the ſtedſaſt ſadle driu'd,
But glauncing on the tempred metall, braſt
In thouſand ſhiuers, and so forth beſide her paſt.

Her Steed did ſtagger with that puiffaunt ſtrooke;
But ſhe no more was moued with that might,
Then it had lighted on an aged Oke;
Or on the marble Pillour, that is pight
Vpon the top of Mount Olympus hight,
For the braue youthly Champions to affay,
With burning charet wheeles it nigh to ſmite:
But who that ſmuites it, mars his ioyous play,
And is the ſpectacle of ruinous decay.

Yet

The third Booke of

Cant. VII.

Yet therewith fore enrag'd, with sterne regard
Her dreadfull weapon she to him addrest,
Which on his helmet martelled so hard,
That made him low incline his lofty creft,
And bowd his battred visour to his breft:
Wherewith she was so tuned, that he n'ote ryde
But reeled to and fro from east to west:
Which when his cruell enimy espyde,
She lightly vnto him adioyned fyde to fyde,

And on his collar laying puiflaunt hand,
Out of his wauering feat him pluckt perforſe,
Perforſe him pluckt, vnable to withstand,
Or helpe himſelfe, and laying thwart her horſe,
In loathly wife like to a carrion corſe,
She bore him faſt away. Which when the knight,
That her purſewed, ſaw with great remorſe,
He were was touched in his noble ſpright,
And gan encreaſe his ſpeed, as ſhe encreaſt her flight.

Whom when as nigh approaching ſhe espyde,
She threw away her burden angrily;
For ſhe lift not the batteill to abide,
But made her ſelfe more light, away to fly:
Yet her the hardy knight purſewd so nye
That almoſt in the backe he oft her ſtrake:
But ſtill when him at hand ſhe did espy,
She turnd, and ſemblaunce of faire fight did make;
But when he ſtayd, to flight againe ſhe did her take.

By this the good Sir Satyrane gan wake
Out of his dreame, that did him long entraunce,
And ſeeing none in place, he gan to make
Exceeding mone, and curſt that cruell chaunce,
Which

the Faëry Queene.

Which reſt from him ſo faire a cheuiaunce:
At length he spyde, whereas that wofull Squyre,
Whom he had reskewed from captiuaunce
Of his ſtrong foe, lay tombled in the myre,
Vnable to arife, or foot or hand to ſtyre.

Towhom approaching, well he mote perceiue
In that fowle plight a comely perſonage,
And louely face, made fit for to deceiue
Fraile Ladies hart with loues confuming rage,
Now in the bloſſome of his fresheſt age:
Hereard him vp, and loofd his yron bands,
And after gan inquire his parentage,
And how he fell into the Gyaunts hands,
And who that was, which chaced her along the lands.

Then trembling yet through feare, the Squire beſpake,
That Geaunteſſe Argante is behight,
A daughter of the Titans which did make
Warre againſt heuen, and heaped hils on hight,
To ſcale the skyes, and put Ioue from his right:
Her ſyre Typhoeus was, who mad through merth,
And dronke with blood of men, ſaine by his might,
Through inceſt, her of his owne mother Earth
Whylome begot, being but halfe twin of that berth.

For at that berth another Babe ſhe bore,
To weet the mightie OllYPHANT, that wrought
Great wreake to many errant knights of yore,
Till him Chylde Thopas to confusion brought.
These twinneſs, men ſay, (a thing far paſſing thought)
Whiles in their mothers wombe encloſd they were,
Ere they into the lightsom world were brought,
In fleſhly luſt were mingled both yfere,
And in that monſtrous wife did to the world appere.

So

508 The third Booke of

Cant. VII.

So liu'd they euer after in like fin,
Gainst natures law, and good behaueoure:
But greatest shame was to that maiden twin,
Who not content so fowly to deuoure:
Her native flesh, and staine her brothers bowre,
Did wallow in all other fleshly myre,
And suffred beaftes her body to deflowre:
So whot she burned in that luftfull fyre,
Yet all that might not flake her senfuall defyre.

But ouer all the countrie she did raunge,
To seeke young men, to quench her flaming thrust,
And feed her fancy with delightfull chaunge:
Whom so she fitteft findes to ferue her luft,
Through her maine stregh, in which she most doth
She with her bringes into a secret Ile,
Where in eternall bondage dye he must,
Or be the vassall of her pleafures vile,
And in all famefull fort him selfe with her defile.

Me feely wretch she so at vauntage caught,
After she long in waite for me did lye,
And meant vnto her prifon to haue brought,
Her lothsome pleasure there to fatiſye;
That thouland deathes me leuer were to dye,
Then breake the vow, that to faire Columbell
I plighted haue, and yet keepe ſtedfaſtly:
As for my name, it miſtreth not to tell;
Call me the Squyre of Dames that me beſeemeth well.

But that bold knight, whom ye purſuing ſaw
That Geaunteſſe, is not ſuch, as ſhe ſeemd,
But a faire virgin, that in martiall law,
And deedes of armes aboue all Dames it deemd,

And

Cant. VII. the Faerie Queene.

509

And aboue many knightes is eke ſteemd,
For her great worth; She Palladine is hight:
She you from death, you me from dread redeem.
Ne any may that Monſter match in fight,
But ſhe, or ſuch as ſhe, that is so chaſte a wight.

Her well beſeemes that Queſt (quoth Satyrane)
But read, thou Squyre of Dames, what vow is this,
Which thou vpon thy ſelfe haſt lately ta'n,
That ſhall I you recount (quoth he) ywis,
So be ye pleaf'd to pardon all amis,
That gentle Lady, whom I loue and ſerue,
After long ſuit and wearie ſeruicis,
Did aske me, how I could her loue deferue,
And how ſhe might be ſure, that I would neuer ſiverue.

Iglad by any meanes her grace to gaine,
Badd her commaund my life to ſaue, or ſpill.
Eſtoones ſhe badd me, with inceſſaunt paine
To wander through the world abroad at will,
And euery where, where with my power or skill
I might doe ſeruice vnto gentle Dames,
That I the fame should faithfully fulfill, (names
And at the twelue monethes end ſhould bring their
And pledges; as the ſpoiles of my victorious games.

Sowell I to faire Ladies ſeruice did,
And found ſuch fauour in their louing hartes,
That ere the yeare his course had compaſſid,
Thre hundred pledges for my good deſartes,
And thrife three hundred thanks for my good partes
I with me brought, and did to her preſent:
Which when ſhe ſaw, more bent to eke my ſmartes,
Then to reward my truſty true intent,
She gan for me deuife a gricuous puniſhment.

To

600 The third Booke of Cant. VII.

To weet, that I my traueill should resume,
And with like labour walke the world arownd,
Ne euer to her prefence should prefume,
Till I so many other Dames had fownd,
The which, for all the suit I could propownd,
Would me refuse their pledges to afford,
But did abide for euer chaſte and fownd.
Ah gentle Squyre (quoth he) tell at one word,
How many fowndſt thou ſuch to put in thy record?

In deed Sir knight (said he) one word may tell
All, that I euer fownd so wiserly stayd;
For onely three they were diſpofd so well,
And yet three yeares I now abrode haue ſtrayd,
To fynd them out. Mote I (then laughing ſayd
The knight) inquire of thee, what were thofe three,
The which thy proffred curteſe denayd?
Or ill they ſeemed ſure auizd to bee,
Or brutiſhly brought vp, that neu'r did fashions ſee.

The firſt which then refused me (said hee)
Certes was but a common Courtifane,
Yet flat refused to haue adoe with mee,
Because I could not giue her many a lane.
(Thereat full hartely laughed Satyrane)
The ſecond was an holy Nunne to choſe,
Which would not let me be her Chappellane,
Because ſhe knew, ſhe ſayd, I would diſcloſe
Her counſell, if ſhe ſhould her truſt in me repoſe.

The third a Damzell was of low degree,
Whom I in countrey cottage fownd by chaunce;
Full little weened I, that chaſtitee
Had lodging in ſo meane a maintenaunce,

Yet

### Cant. VII. the Faery Queene.
Yet was ſhe fayre, and in her countenaunce
Dwelt ſimple truth in ſeemely ſashion.
Long thus I woo'd her with dew obſeruaunce,
In hope vnto my pleafure to haue won,
But was as far at laſt, as when I firſt begon.

Safe her, I neuer any woman found,
That chaſtity did for it ſelfe embrace,
But were for other cauſes firme and ſound,
Either for want of handſome time and place,
Or else for feare of ſhame and fowle diſgrace.
Thus am I hopeleſſe euer to attaine
My Ladies loue, in ſuch a deſperate cafe,
But all my dayes am like to waſte in vaine,
Seeking to match the chaſte with th' vnchaſte Ladies

Perdy, (sayd Satyrane) thou Squyre of Dames,
Great labour fondly haſt thou hent in hand,
To get ſmall thankes, and therewith many blames,
That may emongſt Alcides labours ſtand.
Thence bace returning to the former land,
Where late he left the Beaſt, he ouercame,
He found him not; for he had broke his band,
And was returnd againe vnto his Dame,
To ſell what tydings of fayre Florimell became.

Kk

Cant.

512

The third Booke of
Cant. VII. I.

Cant. VIII.

The Witch creates a snowy Lady,
like to Florimell,
Who wronged by Carle by Proteus sau'd,
is fought by Paridell.

SO oft as I this history record,
My hart doth melt with meere compaffion,
To thinke, how cauſeleſſe of her owne accord
This gentle Damzell, whom I write vpon,
Should plonged be in ſuch afflіction,
Without all hope of comfort or relieſe,
That ſure I weene, the hardeſt hart of ſone,
Would hardly finde to aggrauate her grieſe;
For miſery kraues rather mercy, then reprieſe.

But that accuſed Hag, her hoſſeſſe late,
Had ſo enranckled her malitious hart,
That ſhe deſyrd th'abridgement of her fate,
Or long enlargement of her paineſtull ſmart.
Now when the Beaſt, which by her wicked art
Late foorth ſhe ſent, ſhe backe retourning ſpyde,
Tyde with her golden girdle, it a part
Of her rich ſpoyles, whom he had earſt deſtroyd,
She weend, & wondrous gladnes to her hart applyde.

And with it ronning haſtly to her ſonne,
Thought with that fight him much to haue reliu'd;
Who thereby deeming ſure the thing as donne,
His former grieſe with ſurie fresh reui'd,

Much

Cant. VIII.
the Faerie Queene.

513

Much more then earſt, and would haue algates riu'd
The hart out of his breſt: for ſith her dedd
He ſurely dempt, himſelfe he thought depriu'd
Quite of all hope, wherewith he long had ſedd
His foolish malady, and long time had miſledd.

With thought whereof, exceeding mad he grew,
And in his rage his mother would haue ſlaine,
Had ſhe not fled into a ſecret mew,
Where ſhe was wont her Sprightes to entertaine
The maſters of her art: there was ſhe faine
To call them all in order to her ayde,
And them coniure vpon eternall paine,
To counſell her ſo carefully diſmayd,
(cayd.
How ſhe might heale her ſonne, whose ſenſes were de-

By their deuice, and her owne wicked wit,
She there deuiz'd a wondrous worke to frame,
Whofe like on earth was neuer framed yit,
That euen Nature ſelfe enuide the ſame,
And grudg'd to ſee the counterſet should ſhame
The thing it ſelfe: In hand ſhe boldly tooke
To make another like the former Dame,
Another Florimell, in ſhape and looke
So liuely and ſo like, that many it miſtooke.

The ſubſtance, whereof ſhe the body made,
Was pureſt snow in maffy mould congeald,
Which ſhe had gathered in a ſhady glade
Of the *Riphæan* hils, to her reueald
By errant Sprightes, but from all men conceald:
The fame ſhe tempred with fine Mercury,
And virgin wex, that neuer yet was ſeald,
And mingled them with perſect vermily,
That like a liuely ſanguine it ſeemd to the eye.

Kk 2

In ſtead

514 The third Booke of Cant. VIII.

Instead of eyes two burning lampes she fet
In siluer sockets, shnying like the skyes,
And a quicke mouing Spirit did arret
To stirre and roll them, like to womens eyes;
In stead of yellow lockes she did deuyfe,
With golden wyre to weaue her curled head;
Yet golden wyre was not so yellow thryfe
As Florimells fayre heare: and in the stead
Of life, she put a Spright to rule the carcas dead.

A wicked Spright yfraught with fawning guyle,
And fayre resemblance aboue all the reft,
Which with the Prince of Darkenes fell lomewhyle,
From heauens blis and euerlafting reft,
Him needed not infruct, which way were beft
Him selfe to fashion likeft Florimell,
Ne how to speake, ne how to vse his geſt;
For he in counterſeauce did excell,
And all the wyles of wemens wits knew paffing well,

Him ſhaped thus, ſhe deckt in garments gay,
Which Florimell had left behind her late,
That who ſo then her ſaw, would ſurely ſay,
It was her ſelfe, whom it did imitate,
Or ſayter then her ſelfe, if ought algate
Might ſayrer be. And then ſhe forth her brought
Vnto her ſonne, that lay in feeble ſtate,
Who ſeeing her gan ſtreight vpſtart, and thought
She was the Lady ſelfe, who he ſo long had ſought.

Theaft her clipping twixt his armes twayne,
Extremely ioyed in ſo happy ſight,
And ſoone forgot his former ſickely payne;
But ſhe, the more to ſeeme ſuch as the hight,

Coyly

Cant. VIII. the Faery Queene.

515

Coyly rebutt his embracement light,
Yet still with gentle countenaunce retain'd,
Enough to hold a foole in vaine delight:
Him long ſhe ſo with ſhadowes entertain'd,
As her Creatrefſe had in charge to her ordain'd.

Till on a day, as he diſpoſed was
To walke the woodes with that his Idole faire,
Her to diſport, and idle time to pas,
In th'open freehnes of the gentle aire,
A knight that way there chaunced to repaire;
Yet knight he was not, but a boastfull ſwaine,
That deedes of armes had euer in deſpaire,
Proud Braggadocchio, that in vaunting vaine
Hisglory did repoſe, and credit did maintaine.

Heſeeing with that Chorle ſo faire a wight,
Decked with many a costly ornament,
Much merueiled thereat, as well he might,
And thought that match a fowle diſparagement:
His bloody ſpeare eſtefoones he boldly bent
A gainſt the filly clowne, who dead through ſeare,
 Fell ſtreight to ground in great aftonifhment;
Villein (fayd he) this Lady is my deare,
Dy, if thou it gaineſay : I will away her beare.

The ſeaſefull Chorle durſt not gaineſay, nor dooe,
But trembling ſtood, and yielded him the pray;
Who finding little leaſure her to wooe,
On Trompaſts ſteed her mounted without ſtay,
And without reskew led her quite away.
Proud man himſelfe then Braggadochio deem'd,
And next to none, after that happy day,
Being poſſeſſed of that ſpoyle, which ſeem'd
The faireſt wight on ground, and moſt of men eſteem'd.

Kk 3

But

516 The third Booke of

Cant. VIII.

But when hee saw him selfe free from pourfute,
He gan make gentle purpose to his Dame,
With termes of loue and lewdnesse diffolute;
For he could well his glozing speaches frame
To such vaines, that him beſt became:
But the thereto would lend but light regard,
As ſeeming ſory, that the euer came
Into his powre, that vſed her so hard,
To reaue her honor, which she more then life prefard.

Thus as they two of kindnes treated long,
There them by chaunce encountréd on the way
An armed knight, vpon a courser strong,
Whose trampling feete vpon the hollow lay
Seemed to thunder, and did nigh affray
That Capons corage : yet he looked grim,
And ſaynd to cheare his lady in difmay,
Who ſeemd for ſeare to quake in euery lim,
And her to ſaue from outrage, meekely prayed him.

Fiercely that ſtraunger forward came, and nigh
Approching, with bold words and bitter threat,
Bad that fame boaster, as he mote, on high
To leaue to him that lady for excheat,
Or bide him batteill without further treat.
That challenge did too peremptory ſeeme,
And ſild his ſenses with abashment great;
Yet ſeeing nigh him icopardy extreme,
He it diſſembled well, and light ſeemd to eſteeme.

Saying, Thou foolish knight, that weenſt with words
To ſteale away, that I with blowes haue wonne,
And broght through points of many perilous ſwords:
But if thee lift to ſee thy Courser ronne,

Or

Cant. VIII. the Faëry Queene.

517

Or proue thy ſelfe, this ſad encounter ſhonne,
And ſeeke els without hazard of thy hedd.
At thoſe prouſd words that other knight begonne
To wex exceeding wroth, and him aredd
To turne his ſteede about, or ſure he should be dedd.

Sith then (ſaid Braggadochie) needes thou wilt
Thy daies abridge, through proofe of puiffaunce,
Turne our ſteeds, that both in equall tilte
May meete againe, and each take happy chaunce.
This ſaid they both a ſurlongs mountenaunce
Retird their ſteeds, to ronne in euen race:
But Braggadochie with his bloody launce
Once hauing turnd, no more returnd his ſace,
But leſte his loue to loffe, and ſled him ſelfe apace.

The knight him ſeeing ſlie, had no regard
Him to pourſew, but to the lady rode,
And hauing her from Trompart lightly reard,
Vpon his Courser ſeet the louely lode,
And with her ſled 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 careful Mariner to play,
Sith late miſchaunce had her compeld to chaunge
The land for ſea, at randon there to raunge :
Yet 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.

Kk 4

For

518 The third Booke of

Cant. VIII.

For being fled into the fisbers 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 Acolus 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 difmayd, and thrife his breſt he ſtroke,
For marueill of that accident extreame;
But when he saw, that blazing beauties beame,
Which with rare light his bore did beautifye,
He marueild more, and thought he yet did dreame
Not well awakte, or that ſome extaſye
Aſotted had his ſence, or dazed was his eye.

But when her well auizing, hee peeciu'd
To be no vifion, nor ſantaſticke ſight,
Great comfort of her preſence he conceiu'd,
And felt in his old corage new delight
To gin awake, and ſtir his frozen ſpright:
Tho rudely askte her, how ſhe thether came.
Ah (fayd ſhe) father I note read aright,
What hard misfortune brought me to this ſame;
Yet am I glad that here I now in ſafety 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

Cant. VIII.
the Faëry Queene.

519

Leaſt worse on ſea then vs on land beſell,
Thereat th'old man did nought but fondly grin,
And ſaide, his boat the way could wifely tell:
But his deceptſull eyes did neuer lin,
To looke on her faire face, and marke her ſnowy skin.

The fight whereof in his congealed ſleſh,
Infixt ſuch ſecrete ſting of greedy luſt,
That the drie withered ſtocke it gan reſteth,
And kindled heat, that ſoone in flame forth bruit:
The drieſt wood is ſooneſt burnt to duſt,
Rudely to her he lept; and his rough hand
Where ill became him, rathly would haue thruſt,
But ſhe with angry ſcorne him did withſtond,
And ſhamefully reprou'd for his ru denes ſond.

But he, that neuer good nor maners knew,
Her ſharpe rebuke full little 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 ſowle miſſeeme:
Beaſtly he threwe her downe, ne car'd to ſpill
Her garments gay with ſcales of ſiſh, that all did fill.

The filly virgin ſtroue him to withſtand,
All that ſhe might, and him in vaine reuild:
Sheeſtrugled ſtrongly both with ſoote 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 ſilthy wretch ? well may ſhe you reproue
Of ſalſehood or of ſlouth, when moſt it may behoue.

But

520

The third Booke of

Cant. VIII.

But if that thou, Sir Satyran, didst weete,
Or thou, Sir Peridure, her fory state,
How soone would yee affemble many a fleete,
To fetch from fea, that ye at land loft 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 affwage.

But ſith that none of all her knights is nye,
See how the heauens of voluntary grace,
And ſoueraine ſauor towards chaſtity,
Doe ſuccor ſend to her diſtreſſed cace:
So much high God doth innocence embrace.
It ſortuned, whileſt thus ſhe ſtify ſtroue,
And the wide ſea importuned long ſpace
With ſhrilling ſhriekes, Proteus abrode did roue,
Along the ſomy 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 thole 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 ſomed him arownd.

And comming to that Fisbers wandring bote,
That went at will, withouten card or ſayle,
He therein ſaw that yrkeſome ſight, which ſmote
Deepe indignation and compassion frayle

Into

Cant. VIII.

the Faery Queene.

521

Into his hart attonce: ſtreight did he hayle
The greedy villein from his hoped pray,
Of which he now did very little ſayle,
And with his ſtaffe, that driues his heard aſtray,
Him bett ſo ſore, that life and ſence did much diſmay.

The whiles the pitteous Lady vp did ryſe,
Ruſſed and fowly raid with filthy ſoyle,
And blubbred face with teares of her faire eyes,
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 ſact aſſoyld,
For ſhame, but more for ſeare of his grim ſight,
Downe in her lap ſhe hid her face, and lowdly ſright.

Her ſelfe not ſaufed yet from daunger dredd
She thought, but chaung'd from one to other ſeare,
Like as a tearefull 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 the endeuored with ſpeaches milde
Her to recomfort, and encourage bold,
Bidding her ſeare 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 ſroſen cold
Benumbd ſo inly, that her wits nigh ſayld,
And all her ſences with abashment quite were quayld.

Her

The third Book of Cant. VIII.

522

Her vp betwixt his rugged hands he reard,
And with his frory lips full softly kift,
Whiles the cold yfickles from his rough beard,
Dropped adowne vpon her yuory breft:
Yet he him selfe so busily addreft,
That her out of aftonifhment he wrought,
And out of that fame fishers filthy neft
Remouing her, into his charet brought,
And there with many gentle termes her faire befought.

But that old leachour, which with bold affault
That beautie durft prefume to violate,
He caft to punish for his hainous fault;
Then tooke he him yet trembling fith of late,
And tyde behind his charet, to aggrate
The virgin, whom he had abufde to fore:
So drag'd him through the waues in ſcornfull ſtate,
And after caſt him vp, vpon the shore;
But Florimell with him vnto his bowre he bore.

His bowre is in the bottom of the maine,
Vnder a mightie rocke, gainſt which doe raue
The roring billowes in their proud diſdaine,
That with the angry working of the waue,
Therein is eaten out an hollow caue,
That ſeemes rough Mafons hand with engines keene
Had long while laboured it to engrue:
There was his wonne, ne living wight was ſene,
Sauce one old Nymph, high Panope to keepe it cleane.

Thether he brought the ſory Florimell,
And entertained her the beſt he might
And Panope her entertain'd eke well,
As an immortall mote a mortall wight,

To

the Faery Queene.

Cant. VIII.

To winne her liking vnto his delight:
With flattering wordes he sweetly wooed her,
And offered faire guiftes,t'allure her fight,
But ſhe both offers and the offerer
Deſpylde, and all the fawning of the flatterer.

Dayly he tempted her with this or that,
And neuer ſuffred her to be at reſt:
But euermore ſhe him refused flat,
And all his fained kindnes did deteſt.
So firmly ſhe had fealed vp her breſt.
Sometimes he boafted, that a God he hight:
But ſhe a mortall creature loued beſt:
Then he would make him ſelfe a mortall wight,
But then ſhe ſaid ſhe lou'd none, but a Faery knight.

Then like a Faerie knight him ſelfe he dretſ;
For euery ſhape on him he could endew:
Then like a king he was to her expreſt,
And offred kingdoms vnto her in vew,
To be his Leman and his Lady trew:
But when all this he nothing ſaw preuaile,
With harder meanes he caſt her to ſubdew,
And with ſharpe threatens her often did affayle;
So thinking for to make her ſtubborne corage quayle.

To dreadfull ſhapes he did him ſelfe tranſforme,
Now like a Gyaunt, now like to a ſeend,
Then like a Centaure, then like to a ſtorme,
Raging within the waues: thereby he weend:
Her will to win vnto his wifhe eend.
But when with ſeare, nor ſabour, nor with all
He els could doe, he ſaw him ſelfe eſteem'd,
Downe in a Dongeon deepe he let her fall,
And threatned there to make her his eternall thrall.

Eternall

523

524

The third Booke of

Cant. VIII.

Eternall thraldome was to her more liefe,
Then loſſe of chaſtitie, or chaunge of loue:
Dye had ſhe rather in tormenting griſe,
Then any ſhould of ſalſeneſſe her reproue,
Or looſenes, that ſhe lightly did remoue.
Moſt vertuous virgin, glory be thy meed,
And crowne of heauenly prayſe with Saintes abide,
Where moſt ſweet hymmes of this thy famous deed
Are ſtill emongſt them ſong, that far my rymes exceed.

Fit ſong of Angels caroled to bee,
But yet what ſo my feeble Mufe can frame,
Shalbe t'aduance thy goodly chaſtitee,
And to enroll thy memorable name,
In th'heart of euery honourable Dame,
That they thy vertuous deedes may imitate,
And be partakers of thy endleſſe fame.
Ytyrkes me, leaue thee in this wofull ſtate,
To tell of Satyrane, where I him left of late.

Who hauing ended with that Squyre of Dames
A long diſcourse of his aduentures vayne,
The which himſelfe, then Ladies more defames,
And finding not th'Hyena to be ſlayne,
With that fame Squyre, retourned back agayne
To his firſt way. And as they forward went,
They ſpyde a knight ſayre pricking on the playne,
As if he were on ſome aduenture bent,
And in his port appeared manly hardiment.

Sir Satyrane him towardes did addreſſe,
To weet, what wight he was, and what his queſt:
And comming nigh, eſtſoones he gan to geſſe
Both by the burning hart, which on his breſt

He

Cant. VIII.

the Faerie Queene.

525

He bare, and by the colours in his creſt,
That Paridell it was. Tho to him yode,
And him saluting, as beſeemed beſt,
Gan firſt inquire of tydinges farre abrode;
And afterwardes, on what aduenture now he rode.

Who thereto anſwering ſaid, The tydinges bad,
Which now in Faery court all men doe tell,
Which turned hath great mirth, to mourning ſad,
Is the late ruine of proud Marinell,
And ſuddein parture of faire Florimell,
To find him forth: and after her are gone
All the braue knightes, that doen in armes excell,
To ſauegard her, ywandred all alone;
Emongſt the reſt my Iott (vnworthy') is to be one.

Ah gentle knight (ſaid then Sir Satyrane)
Thy labour all is loft, I greatly dread,
That haſt a thankleſſe ſeruice on thee ta'ne,
And offreſt ſacrifice vnto the dead:
For dead, I ſurely doubt, thou maiſt aread
Henceforth for euer Florimell to bee,
That all the noble knights of Maydenhead,
Which her ador'd, may ſore repent with mee,
And all faire Ladies may for euer ſory bee.

Which wordes when Paridell had heard, his hew
Gan greatly chaung and ſeemd diſmaid to bee,
Then ſaid, Fayre Sir, how may I weene it trew,
That ye doe tell in ſuch vncerteintee?
Or ſpeake ye of report, or did ye ſee
Iuſt cause of dread, that makes ye doubt ſo ſore?
For perdie elles how mote it euer bee,
That euer hand ſhould dare for to engore
Her noble blood? the heuens ſuch crueltie abhore.

The

526 *The third Booke of Cant. VIII.*

These eyes did see, that they will euer rew
To haue seene, (Quoth he) when as a mōstrous beaſt
The Palfrey, whereon she did trauell, flew,
And of his bowels made his bloodye beaſt:
Which ſpeaking token ſheweth at the leaſt
Her certeine loſſe, if not her ſure decay:
Befides, that more ſuspicion encreaſt,
I found her golden girdle caſt aſtray,
Diftaynd with durt and blood, as relique of the pray.

Ay me, (said Pauidell) the ſignes be fadd,
And but God turne the fame to good ſooth ſay,
That Ladies ſafetie is ſore to be dradd:
Yet will I not forſake my forward way,
Till triall doe more certeine truth bewray.
Faire Sir (qd. he) well may it you ſucced,
Ne long ſhall Satyrane behind you ſtay,
But to the reſt, which in this Queſt proceed
My labour adde, and be partaker of their ſpeed.

Ye noble knights (said then the Squyre of Dames)
Well may ye ſpeede in ſo praiſeworthy payne:
But ſith the Sunne now ginnes to ſlake his beames,
In deawy vapours of the weſterne mayne,
And loſe the teme out of his weary wayne,
Mote not miſlike you alſo to abate
Your zealous haſt, till morrow next againe
Both light of heuen, and ſtrength of men relate:
Which if ye pleafe, to yonder caſtle turne your gate.

That counſell pleafed well; ſo all yfere
Forth marched to a Caſtle them before,
Where ſoone arryuing, they refrained were
Of ready entraunce, which ought euermore

TO

527 *Cant. IX.* the Faery Queene.

To errant knights be commune: wondrous fore
Thereat diſpleaſd they were, till that young Squyre
Gan them informe the cauſe, why that fame dore
Was ſhut to all, which lodging did defyre:
The which to let you weet, will further time requyre.

## Cant. IX.

Malbecco will no ſtraunge knights hoff,
For peenuſh gealofy:
Paridell giuſts with Britomart :
both ſhew their aunceſtry.

RE
Edoubted knights, and honorable Dames,
To whom I leuell all my labours end,
Right fore I feare, leaſt with vnworthie blames
This odious argument my rymes ſhould ſhend,
Or ought your goodly patience offend,
Whiles of a wanton Lady I doe write,
Which with her loose incontinence doth blend
The ſhyning glory of your ſoueraine light,
And knighthood fowle defaced by a faithleſſe knight.

But neuer let th'enſample of the bad
Offend the good: for good by paragone
Of euill, may more notably be rad,
As white ſeemes fayrer, macht with blacke attonce;
Ne all are ſhamed by the fault of one:
For lo in heuen, whereas all goodnes is,
Emongſt the Angels, a whole legione
Of wicked Sprightes did fall from happy blis;
What wonder then, if one of women all did mis?

Then

L1

The third Booke of

Cant. IX.

Then listen Lordings, if ye lift to weet
The caufe, why *Satyrane* and *Paridell*
More not be entertaynd, as seemed meet,
Into that Castle (as that Squyre does tell.)
Therein a canred crabbed Carle does dwell,
That has no skill of Court nor courteſe,
Ne cares, what men fay of him ill or well;
For all his dayes he drownes in priuitie,
Yet has full large to liue, and ſpend at libertie.

But all his mind is ſet on mucky pelfe,
To hoord vp heapes of cuill gotten maffe,
For which he others wrongs and wreckes himſelfe;
Yet is he lincked to a louely laffe,
Whofe beauty doth her bounty far ſurpaffe,
The which to him both far vnequall yeares,
And alſo far vnlike conditions has;
For ſhe does ioy to play emongſt her peares,
And to be free from hard reſtraynt and gealous ſeares.

But he is old, and withered like hay,
Vnſit faire Ladies ſeruice to ſupply,
The priuie guilt w hereof makes him alway
Suſpect her truth, and keepe continuall ſpy
Vpon her with his other blincked eye;
Ne ſuffreth he ſeort of luing wight
Approch to her, ne keepe her company,
But in cloſe bowre her mewes from all mens ſight,
Depriu'd of kindly ioy and naturall delight.

Malbecco he, and Hellenore ſhe hight,
Vnſitly yokt together in one teeme,
That is the caufe, why neuer any knight
Is ſuffred here to enter, but he ſeeme

Such,

the Faerie Queene.

Cant. I. X.

Such, as no doubt of him he neede miſdeeme.
Thereat Sir *Satyrane* gan ſmyle, and ſay,
Extremely mad the man I ſurely deeme,
That weenes with watch and hard reſtraynt to ſtay
A WOMANS will, which is diſpoſ'd to go aſtray.

Invaine he ſeares that, which he cannot ſhonne:
For who wotes not, that womans ſubtiltyes
Can guylen *Argus*, when ſhe lift diſdonne?
It is not yron bandes, nor hundred eyes,
Nor braſen walls, nor many wakefull ſpyes,
That can withhold her wilfull wandring ſeet,
But ſaſt goodwill with gentle courteſes,
And timely ſeruice to her pleafures meet
May her perhaps containe, that eſſe would algates ſleet.

Then is he not more mad ( ſayd *Paridell*)
That hath himſelſe vnto ſuch ſeruice ſold,
In dolefull thraldome all his dayes to dwell?
For ſure a ſoole I doe him firmly hold,
That loues his fetters, though they were of gold.
But why does wee deuife of others ill,
Whyles thus we ſuffer this ſame dotard old,
To keepe vs out, in ſcorne of his owne will,
And rather do not ransack all, and him ſelſe kill?

Nay let vs firſt ( ſayd *Satyrane*) entreat
The man by gentle meanes, to let vs in,
And afterwardes affray with cruell threat,
Ere that we to efforce it doe begin:
Then if all ſayle, we will by force it win,
And eke reward the wretch for his meſprife,
As may beworthy of his hayno us ſin.
That counſell pleaſd: then *Paridell* did rife,
And to the Castle gate approcht in quiet wife.

L12

Whereat

530

The third Booke of Cant. IX.

Whereat soft knocking, entrance he defyrd.
The good man selfe, which then the Porter playd,
Him answered, that all were now retyrd
Vnto their reft, and all the keyes conuayd
Vnto their maister, who in bed was layd,
That none him durft awake out of his dreme;
And therefore them of patience gently prayd.
Then *Paridell* began to chaunge his theme,
And threatned him with force & punishment extreme.

But all in vaine, for nought mote him relent,
And now so long before the wicket faft
They wayted, that the night was forward spent,
And the faire welkin fowly ouercaft,
Gan blowen vp a bitter stormy blast,
With showre and hayle so horrible and dred,
That this faire many were compeld at laft,
To fly for succour to a little shed,

The which beſide the gate for ſivyne was ordered.

It fortuned, ſoone after they were gone,
Another knight, whom tempeſt thether brought,
Came to that Caſtle, and with earneſt mone,
Like as the reſt, late entrance deare beſought;
But like so as the reſt he prayd for nought,
For flatly he of entrance was reſuſd.
Sorely thereat he was diſpleaſd, and thought
How to auenge himſelfe so ſore abuſd,
And euermore the Carle of courteſe accuſd.

But to auoyde th'intollerable ſtowre,
He was compeld to ſeeke ſome refuge neare,
And to that ſhed, to ſhrowd him from the ſhowre,
He came, which full of guests he found whyleare,

So

Cant. IX. the Faery Queene.

531

So as he was not let to enter there:
Whereat he gan to wex exceeding wroth,
And ſwere, that he would lodge with them yfere,
Or them diſlodg, all were they lieſe or loth;
And so defyde them each, and so defyde them both.

Both were full loth to leaue that needfull tent,
And both full loth in darkenſe to debate;
Yet both full lieſe him lodging to haue lent,
And both full lieſe his boaftring to abate;
But chieflyely *Paridell* his hart did grate,
To heare him threaten so deſpightfully,
As if he did a dogge in kenell rate,
That durſt not barke; and rather had he dy,
Then when he was defyde, in coward corner ly.

The haſtily remounting to his ſteed,
He forth iſſew'd, like as a boyſtrous winde,
Which in th'earthes hollow caues hath long ben hid,
And ſhut vp ſaſt within her prifons blind,
Makes the huge element againſt her kinde
To moue, and tremble as it were aghaſt,
Vntill that it an iſſew forth may finde;
Then forth it breakes, and with his ſurious blast
Confounds both land & ſeas, and skyes doth ouercaſt.

Their ſteel-hed ſpeares they ſtrongly coucht, and met
Together with impetuous rage and ſorſe,
That with the terour of their ſierce affet,
They rudely droue to ground both man and horſe,
That each a while lay like a ſenceleſſe corſe.
But *Paridell* ſore bruſed with the blow,
Could not arife, the counterchaunge to ſcorſe,
Till that young Squyre him reared from below;
Then drew he his bright ſword, & gan about him throw

But

L13

532 The third Booke of

Cant. I. X.

But Saayerne forth stepping, did them stay
And with faire treaty pacifide their yre;
Then when they were accorded from the fray,
Against that Castles Lord they gan confpire,
To heape on him dew vengeaunce for his hire.
They beene agreed, and to the gates they goe
To burne the fame with vnquenchable fire,
And that vncurteous Carle their commune foe
To doe fowle death to die, or wrap in grieuous woe.

Malbecco seeing them refold in deed
To flame the gates, and hearing them to call
For fire in earneſt, ran with fearfull ſpeed,
And to them calling from the castle wall,
Befought them humbly, him to beare with all,
As ignorant of ſeruants bad abuse,
And flacke attendaunce vn to ſtraungers call,
The knights were willing all things to excufe,
Though nought beleu'd, & entraúce late did not refufe.

They beene ybrought into a comely bowre,
And ſerud of all things that mote needfull bee;
Yet ſecretly their hoſte did on them lowre,
And welcomde more for ſeare, then charitèe;
But they diſſembled, what they did not ſee,
And welcomed them ſelues. Each gan vndight
Their garments wett, and weary armour free,
To dry them ſelues by *Vulcanes* flaming light,
And eke their lately bruzed parts to bring in plight.

And eke that ſtraunger knight emongſt the reſt,
Was for like need enforſt to diſaray:
Tho whenas vailed was her lofty creſt,
Her golden locks, that were in tramells gay

Vpbounden,

Cant. I. X. the Faëry Queene.

533

Vpbounden, did them ſelues adowne diſplay,
And raught vnto her heeles; like funny beames,
That in a cloud their light did long time ſtay,
Their vapour vaded, ſhewe their golden gleames,
And through the perſant aire ſhoote forth their azure
流（streames）

Shee also doſte her heauy haberieon,
Which the faire ſeature of her limbs did hyde,
And her well plighted frock, which ſhe did won
To tucke about her ſhort, when ſhe did ryde,
Shee low let fall, that flowd from her lanck ſyde
Downe to her foot, with careleſſe modetee.
Then of them all ſhe plainly was eſpyde,
To be a woman wight, vnwift to bee,
The faireſt woman wight, that euer eie did ſee.

Like as Bellona, being late returnd
From ſlaughter of the Giaunts conquered;
Where proud Encelade, whose wide noſethrils burnd
With breathed flames, like to a furnace redd,
Transfix'd with her ſpeare, downe tombled dedd
From top of Hemus, by him heaped hye;
Hath loofd her helmet from her lofty hedd,
And her Gorgonian ſhield gins to vntye

From her leſte arme, to reſt in glorious victorye.

Which whenas they beheld, they ſmitten were
With great amazement of ſo wondrous ſight,
And each on other, and they all on her
Stood gazing, as if ſuddein great affright
Had them ſurprizd. At laſt auizing right,
Her goodly perſonage and glorious hew,
Which they ſo much miſtooke, they tooke delight
In their firſt error, and yett ſtill anew

With wonder of her beauty ſed their hongry vew.

Yet

L 1 4

534 The third Booke of

Cant. IX.

Yet note their hongry vew be fatisfide,
But feeing ſtill the more defir'd to ſee,
And euer firmly fixed did abide
In contemplation of diuinitee :
But moſt they meruaild at her cheualree,
And noble prowſſe, which they had approu'd,
That much they faynd to know, who ſhe mote bee;
Yet none of all them her thereof amou'd,
Yet euery one her likte, and euery one her lou'd.

And Paridell though partly discontent
With his late fall, and fowle indignity,
Yet was ſoone wonne his malice to relent,
Through gratious regard of her faire eye,
And knightly worth, which he too late did try,
Yet tried did adore. Supper was dight;
Then they Malbecco prayd of courteſy,
That of his lady they might haue the fight,
And company at meat, to doe them more delight.

But he to ſhifte their curious requeſt,
Gan cauſen, why ſhe could not come in place;
Her craſed helth, her late recourse to reſt,
And humid euening ill for ſicke folkes cace,
But none of thofe excufes could take place;
Ne would they eate, till ſhe in prefence came.
Shee came in prefence with right comely grace,
And fairely them faluted, as became,
And ſhewd her ſelſe in all a gentle courteous Dame.

They fate to meat, and Satyrane his chaunce,
Was her before, and Paridell beſide;
But he him ſelſe fate looking ſtill askaunce,
Gainſt Britomart, and euer cloſely eide

Sir

Cant. IX. the Faery Queene:

535

Sir Satyrane, with glaunces might not glide:
But his blinde eie, that ſided Paridell,
All his demeafnure from his fight did hide:
On her faire face ſo did he feede his fill,
And ſent close meſſages of loue to her at will.

And euer and anone, when none was ware,
With ſpeaking lookes, that cloſe embaffage bore,
He rou'd at her, and told his ſecret care :
For all that art he learned had of yore.
Ne was ſhe ignoraut of that leud lore,
But in his eye his meaning wifely redd,
And with the like him aunſwerd euermore:
Shee ſent at him one fyrie dart, whoſe hedd
Empoſſned was with priuy luſt, and gealous dredd.

He from that deadly throw made no defence,
But to the wound his weake heart opened wyde;
The wicked engine through falſe influence,
Paſt through his eies, and ſecretly did glyde
Into his heart, which it did forely gryde.
But nothing new to him was that fame paine,
Ne paine at all; for he ſo olde had tryde
The powre thereof, and lou'd ſo oft in vaine,
That thing of course he counted, loue to entertaine.

Thenceforth to her he ſought to intimate
His inward grieſe, by meanes to him well knowne,
Now Bacchus fruit out of the filuer plate
He on the table daſht, as ouerthrowne,
Or of the fruitfull liquor ouerflowne,
And by the dauncing bubbles did diuine,
Or therein write to lett his loue be ſhowne;
Which well ſhe redd out of the learned line,
A ſacrament prophane in miftery of wine.

And

536

The third Booke of

Cant. I. X.

And when so of his hand the pledge she raught,
The guilty cup she fained to mistake,
And in her lap did shed her idle draught,
Shewing desire her inward flame to flake:
By such close signes they secret way did make
Vnto their wils, and one eies watch escape;
Two eies him needeth, for to watch and wake,
Who louers will deceiue. Thus was the ape,
By their faire handling, put into Malbeccos cape.

Now when of meats and drinks they had their fill,
Purpose was moued by that gentle Dame,
Vnto those knights adventurous, to tell
Of deeds of armes, which vnto them became,
And euery one his kindred, and his name.
Then Paridell, in whom a kindly pride
Of gratious speach, and skill his words to frame
Abounded, being yglad of so fittetide
Him to commend to her, thus spake, of al well eide.

Troy, that art now nought, but an idle name,
And in thine ashes buried low doft lie,
Though whilome far much greater then thy fame,
Before that angry Gods, and cruel skie
Upon thre heapt a direfull destinie,
What boots it boast thy glorious descent,
And fetch from heuen thy great genealogie,
Sith all thy worthie prayes being blent,
Their ofspring hath embafte, and later glory thent.

Most famous Worthy of the world, by whom
That warre was kindled, which did Troy inflame,
And stately towres of Ilion whilome
Brought vnto balefull ruine, was by name

Sir

537

Cant. I. X.

the Faery Queene.

Sir Paris far renownd through noble fame,
Who through great prowesse and bold hardinesse,
From Lacedaemon fetcht the fayreft Dame,
That euer Greece did boast, or knight poſſesse,
Whom Venus to him gaue for meed of worthinesse.

Fayre Helene, flowre of beautie excellent,
And girlond of the mighty Conquerours,
That madeft many Ladies deare lament
The heauie loſſe of their braue Paramours,
Which they far off beheld from Trojan toures,
And ſaw the fieldes of faire Scamander ſtrowne
With carcaſes of noble warrioures,
Whose fruitleſſe liues were under ſurrow ſowne,
And Xanthus ſandy bankes with blood all ouerflowne.

From him my linage I deriue aright,
Who long before the ten yeares ſiege of Troy,
Whiles yet on Ida he a ſhepeheard hight,
On faire Oenone got a louely boy,
Whom for remembrance of her paffedioy,
She of his Father Parius did name;
Who, after Greekes did Priams realme deſtroy,
Gathred the Trojan reliques ſau'd from flame,
And with them ſayling thence, to th'Isle of Paros came.

That was by him cald Paros, which before
Hight Nauſa, there he many yeares did raine,
And built Nauſicle by the Pontick shore,
The which he dying lefte next in remaine
To Paridas his ſonne.
From whom I Paridell by kin deſcent;
But for faire ladies loue, and glories gaine,
My native foil: haue leſte, my dayes to ſpend
In ſewing deeds of armes, my liues and labors end.

Whenas

The third Booke of

Cant. I X:

538

Whenas the noble Britemart heard tell
Of Troian warres, and Priams citie Sackt,
The ruefull story of Sir Paridell,
She was empaffond at that piteous act,
With zelous enuy of Greekes cruell faët,
Against that nation, from whole race of old
She heard, that she was lineally extraict:
For noble Britons Sprong from Troians bold,
And Troymonant was built of old Troyes ashes cold.

Then fighting soft awhile, at last she thus:
O lamentable fall of famous towne,
Which raign'd so many yeares victorious,
And of all Asie bore the soueraine crowne,
In one sad night confumd, and throwen downe:
What flony hart, that heares thy haplesse fate,
Is not empierst with deepe compaffiowne,
And makes enſample of mans wretched ſtate,
That floures ſo fresh at morne, & fades at euening late?

Behold, Sir, how your pitifull complaint
Hath fownd another partner of your payne:
For nothing may impreſſe ſo deare conſtraint,
As countries cauſe, and commune foes diſdayne.
But if it should not grieue you, backe agayne
To turne your courſe, I would to heare deſyre,
What to Aeneas ſell, ſith that men ſayne
He was not in the cities woſull ſyre
Conſum'd, but did him ſelfe to safety retyre.

Anchyſes ſonne begott of Venus ſayne,
Said he, out of the flames for ſafegard ſled,
And with a remnant did to ſea repayre,
Where he through fatall errour long was led

Full

the Faëry Queene.

539

Cant. IX.

Full many yeares, and weetlesſe wandered
From shore to shore, emongſt the Lybick landes,
Ere reſt he fownd. Much there he ſuffered,
And many perilles paſt in forreine landes,
To ſaue his people ſad from victours vengefull handles.

Atlaſt in Latium he did arryue,
Where he with cruell warre was entertaind
Of th' inland folke, which ſought him backe to driue,
Till he with old Latinus was conſtraind,
To contract wedlocke: (so the fates ordaind.)
Wedlocke contract in blood, and eke in blood
Accompliſhed, that many deare complaind:
The riuall ſlaine, the victour through the flood
Eſcaped hardly, hardly praſd his wedlock good.

Yet after all, he victour did ſuruire,
And with Latinus did the kingdom part.
But after, when both nations gan to ſtrike,
Into their names the title to conuart,
His ſonne Iulus did from thence depart,
With all the warlike youth of Troians bloud,
And in long Alba plaſt his throne apart,
Where faire it florilhed, and long time ſtoud,
Till Romulus renewing it, to Rome remoud.

There there (said Britomart) a fresh appeard
The glory of the later world to ſpring,
And Troy againe out of her duſt was reard,
To ſitt in ſecond ſeat of ſoueraine king,
Of all the world vnder her gouerning.
But a third kingdom yet is to arife,
Out of the Troians ſcattered of ſpring,
That in all glory and great enterprife,
Both firſt and ſecond Troy ſhall dare to equalife.

Ic

540

The third Booke of

Cant. I X.

It *Troynouant* is hight, that with the waeus
Of wealthy *Thamis* was hed is along,
Vpon whose ftubborne necks whereat he raues
With roring rage, and fore him selfe does throng;
That all men feare to tempt his billowes ftrong,
She faftned hath her foot, which ftandes so hy,
That it a wonder of the world is long
In forreine landes, and all which paffen by,
Beholding it from farre, doe thinke it threatens the skye.

The *Troian Brute* did firſt that citie ſownd,
And Hygate made the meare thereof by weſt,
And *Ouert* gate by North: that is the bownd
Toward the land; two riuers bownd the reſt.
So huge a ſcope at firſt him ſeemed beſt,
To be the compaſſe of his kingdomes ſeat:
So huge a mind could not in leſſer reſt,
Ne in ſmall meares containe his glory great,
That *Albion* had conquered firſt by warlike ſeat.

Ah faireſt Lady knight, (said *Paridell*)
Pardon I pray my heedleſſe ouerſight,
Who had forgot, that whylome I hard tell
From aged *Mnemon*, for my wits beene light.
Indeed he ſaid (if I remember right,)
That of the antique *Troian* ſtocke, there grew
Another plant, that raught to wondrous hight,
And far abroad his mightie braunches threw,
Into the vtmoſt Angle of the world he knew.

For that fame *Brute*, whom much he did aduaunce
In all his ſpeach, was *Syluius* his ſonne,
Whom hauing ſlain, through luckles arrowes glaſſe
He fled for ſeare of that he had miſdonne,

Or

Cant. I X: the Faerie Queene.

541

Or els for ſhame, so fowle reproch to ſhonne,
And with him ledd to ſea an youthly trayne,
Where wearie wandring they long time did wonne,
And many fortunes prou'd in th' Ocean mayne,
And great aduètures found, that now were lög to fayne

At laſt by fatall courſe they driuen were
Into an Inſland ſpatious and brode,
The furtheſt North, that did to them appeare:
Which after reſt they seeking farre abrode,
Found it the firſt ſoyle for their abode,
Fruitfull of all thinges ſitt for liuing ſoode,
But wholy waſte, and void of peoples trode,
Saue an huge nation of the Geaunts broode,
That fed on liuing fleſh, & dronck mens vitall blood.

Whom he through wearie wars and labours long,
Subdewd with loſſe of many *Britons* bold:
In which the great *Goemagot* of ſtrong
*Corineus*, and *Coulin* of *Debon* old
Were ouerthrowne, and laide on th'earth full cold,
Which quaked vnder their ſo hideous maſſe,
A famous hiftory to bee enrold
In euerlaſting moniments of braſſe,
That all the antique Worthies merits far did paffe.

His worke great *Troynouant*, his worke is eke
Faire *Lincolne*, both renownede far away,
That who from Eaſt to Weſt will endlong ſeeke,
Cannot two fairer Cities find this day,
Except *Cleopolis*: so heard I ſay
Old *Mnemon*, Therefore Sir, I greet you well
Your countrey kin, and you entyrely pray
Of pardon for the ſtrife, which late befell
Betwixt vs both vnknowne. So ended *Paridell*.

Byr

542

The third Booke of Cant. XI.

But all the while, that he these speeches spent,
Vpon his lips hong faire Dame Hellenore,
With vigilant regard, and dew attent,
Fashioning worldes of fancies euermore
In her fraile witt, that now her quite forlore:
The whiles vnwares away her wondring eye,
And greedy eares her weake hart from her bore:
Which he perceiuing, euer priuily
In speaking, many false belgardes at her let fly.

So long these knightes discourfed diuerfly,
Of ltraunge affaires, and noble hardiment,
Which they had paft 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 log thoughts
Euery discourfe and euery argument,
Which by the houres he measured, be sought
 them go to reft. So all vnto their bowres were brought.

Cant. X.

Paridell rapeth Hellenore:
Malbeeco her pourſewes:
Fynds emongſt Satyres, whence with him
To turne ſhe doth reſufe.

T
He morow next, so ſoone as Phæbus Lamp
Bewrayed had the world with early light,
And fresh Aurora had the flady damp
Out of the goodly heuen amoued quight,

Faire

Cant. X. the Faery Queene. 543

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 fore 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 ſiers 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 fight her ſelfe once to absent.
So doth he puniſh her and eke him ſelfe torment.

But Paridell kept better watch, then hee,
A fit occasion for his turne to finde:
Falle loue, why do men ſay, thou canſt not ſee,
And in their foolish fancy feigne thee blinde,
That with thy charmes the ſharpeſt fight doſt 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.

Mm

So

The third Booke of

Cant. X.

544

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 whyle
That he there foiourned his wounds to heale,
That Cupid selfe it seeing, close did smyle,
To weet how he her loue away did steale,
And bad, that none their ioyous treason should reueale.

The learned louer loft no time nor tyde,
That leaft auantage more to him afford,
Yet bore so faire a sayle, that none espyde
His secret drift, till he her layd abord.
When so in open place, and commune bord,
He fortun'd her to meet, with commune speach
He courted her, yet bayted euery word,
That his vngentle hoſte n'ote him appeach
Of vile vngentlenſe, or hofpitages 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 caſt befyde :
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 pleafing toyes he would her entertaine,
Now ſinging fweetely, to surprize her ſprights,
Now making layes of loue and louers paine,
Bransſes,

the Faerie Queene.

545

Cant. X.

Branſles, Ballads, virelayes, and verſes vaine;
Oſt purpores, oſt riddles he deuyſd,
And thouſands like, which flowed in his braine;
With which he fed 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 fewd
At hand with humble pride, and pleafing 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 fortſo ſenſible, no wals ſo ſtrong,
But that continuall battery will riue,
Or daily ſiege through diſpuruayaunce long,
And lacke of reskewes will to parley drive,
And Peece, that vnto parley care will giue,
Will ſhortly yield it ſelfe, and will be made
The vaffall of the victors will bylieue:
That ſtratageme had oftentimes affayd
This crafty Paramoure, and now it plaine diſplayd.

For through his traines he her intrapped hath,
That ſhe her loue and hart hath wholly fold
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 pleafed well. So well they both agree;
So readie rype to ill, ill wemens counſels bee.

Mm 2

Darke

546 The third Booke of

Cant. X.

Darke was the Euening, fit for louers stealth,
When chaunft Malbecco bufie be elsewhere,
She to his clofet went, where all his wealth
Lay hid: thereof she countleſſe fummes 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 fight.

This ſecond Helene, fayre Dame Hellenore,
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 ſaſt;
Where ſtreight embraced, ſhe to him did cry,
And call alowd for helpe, ere helpe were pafft,
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 face,
He was therewith diſtreſſed diuerſely,
Ne wift he how to turne, nor to what place,
Was neuer wretched man in ſuch a wofull cace.

Ay when to him ſhe clyde, 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

Cant. X. the Faery Queene.

547

Both was he loth to looke his loued Dame,
And loth to leaue his lieſt pelfe behinde,
Yet ſith he n'ote ſaue both, he ſau'd that ſame,
Which was the deareſt to his dounghill minde,
The God of his deſire, the ioy of miſers blinde.

Thus whileſt all things in troublous vprore were,
And all men bufie to ſuppreſſe the flame,
The louing couple neede no reskew ſeare,
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 ſafeconduſt, till to end they came:
So beene they gone yfere, a wanton payre
Of louers loosely knit, where lift them to repayre.

Soone as the cruell flames yflaked were,
Malbecco ſeeing, how his loſſe did lye,
Out of the flames, which he had quencht whylere
Into huge waues of griefe and gealofye
Full deepe emplonged was, and drowned nye:
Twixt inward doole and felonous deſpight,
He rau'd, he wept, he ſtampt, he lowd did cry,
And all the paffions, that in man may light,
Did him attonce oppreſſe, and vex his caytiue ſpright.

Long thus he chawd the cud of inward griefe,
And did confume his gall with anguith ſore,
Still when he mufed on his late miſchieſe,
So ſtill the ſmart thereof increaſed more,
And ſeem'd more grievous, then it was before:
At laſt when ſorrow he ſaw booted nought,
Ne griefe might not his loue to him reſtore,
He gan deuife, how her he reskew mought,
Tenthouſand wayes he caſt in his confuſed thought.

M m 3

At

548

The third Booke of

Cant. X.

At last resoluing, like a Pilgrim pore,
To search her forth, where so she might be fond,
And bearing with him treasure in close store,
The rest he leaues in ground: So takes in hond
To seeke her endlong, both by sea and lond,
Long he her fought, he fought her far and nere,
And euery where that he mote vnderstond,
Of knights and ladies any meetings were,
And of eachone he mett, he tidings did inquere.

But all in vaine, his woman was too wife,
Euer to come into his clouch againe,
And hee too simple euer to surprife
The iolly Paridell, for all his paine.
One day, as hee forpaſſed by the plaine
With weary pace, he far away espide
A couple, feeming well to be his twaine,
Which houed cloſe vnder a foreſt ſide,
As if they lay in wait, or els them ſelues did hide.

Well weened hee, that thofe the fame mote bee,
And as he better did their ſhape auize,
Him seemed more their maner did agree;
For th'one was armed all in warlike wize,
Whom, to be Paridell he did deuize;
And th'other al yclad in garments light,
Difcolourd like to womanif diſguſe,
He did reſemble to his lady bright,
And euer his faint hart much earned at the fight.

And euer faine he towards them would goe,
But yet durſt not for dread approchen nie,
But tood aloofe, vnweeting what to doe,
Till that prickt forth with loues extremity,

That

Cant. X.

the Faery Queene.

549

That is the father of fowle gealofy,
He cloſely nearer crept, the truth to weet:
But, as he nigher drew, he easily
Might ſcerne, that it was not his ſweeteſt ſweet,
Ne yet her Belamour, the partner of his ſheet.

But it was ſcornefull Braggadochio,
That with his ſeruant Trompart houerd there,
Sith late he fled from his too earneſt foe:
Whom ſuch whenas Malbecco ſpyed clere,
He turned backe, and would haue fled arene;
Till Trompart ronning haſtely, him did stay,
And bad before his ſoueraine Lord appere:
That was him loth, yet durſt he not gaineſay,
And comming him before, low louted on the lay.

The Boaster at him ſternely bent his browe,
As if he could haue kild him with his looke,
That to the ground him meekely made to bowe,
And awfull terror deepe into him ſtrooke,
That euery member of his body quooke.
Said he, thou man of nought, what doeſt thou here;
Vnſibly furniſht with thy bag and booke,
Where I expeſted one with ſhield and ſpere,
To proue ſome deeds of armes vpon an equall pere.

The wretched man at his imperious ſpeach,
Was all abaſht, and low proſtrating, ſaid,
Good Sir, let not my rudenes be no breach
Vnto your patience, ne be ill ypaid;
For I vnwares this way by fortune ſtraid,
A ſilly Pilgrim driven to diſtreſſe,
That seeke a Lady There he ſuddein ſtaid,
And did the reſt with grienous ſighes ſuppreſſe,
While teares tood in his eies, few drops of bitterneffe.

Mm 4

What

550 The third Booke of

Cant. X.

What Lady, man? (said Trompart) take good hart,
And tell thy griefe, if any hidden lye;

Was neuer better time to shew thy smart,

Then now, that noble succor is thee by,

That is the whole worlds commune remedy.

That chearful word his weak heart much did cheare,

And with vaine hope his spirits faint supply,

That bold he fayd, O moft redoubted Pere,

Vouchsafe with mild regard a wretches cace to heare.

Then fighting fore, It is not long (faide hee)

Sith I enioyd the gentleft Dame aliue;

Of whom a knight, no knight at all perdee,

But shame of all, that doe for honor striue,

By treacherous de receipt did me deptriue;

Through open outrage he her bore away,

And with fowle force vnto his will did drieu,

Which al good knights, that armes do bear this day,

Are bownd for to reuenge, and punиш if they may.

And you moft noble Lord, that can and dare

Redresse the wrong of miserable wight,

Cannot employ your moft victorious ſpeare

In better quarell, then defence of right,

And for a Lady gainſt a faithleſſe knight,

So ſhall your glory bee aduaunced much,

And all faire Ladies magnify your might,

And eke my ſelfe, albee I ſimple ſuch,

Your worthy paine ſhall wel reward with guerdon rich.

With that out of his bouget forth he drew

Great ſtore of treaſute, therewith him to tempts,

But he on it lookt ſcornefully askew,

As much disdeigning to be ſo misdempts,

Or

Cant. X. 'the Faery Queene.'

551

Or a war-monger to be bafely nempt;

And fayd, thy offers bafe I greatly loth,

And eke thy words vncourteous and vnkempt;

I tread in duſt thee and thy money both,

That, were it not for ſhame, So turned from him wroth.

But Trompart, that his maiftres humor knew,

In lofty looks to hide an humble minde,

Was inly tickled with that golden vew,

And in his eare him rownded close behinde:

Yet ſtoupt he not, but lay ſtill in the winde,

Waiuing aduauntage on the pray to ſeafe;

Till Trompart lowly to the grownd inclinde,

Befought him his great corage to appeaſe,

And pardon ſimple man, that rath did him diſpleaſe.

Big looking like a doughty Doucepere,

At laſt he thus, Thou clod of vileſt clay,

I pardon yield, and that with rudenes beare,

But weete henceforth, that all that golden pray,

And all that els the vaine world vaunten may,

I loath as doung, ne deeme my dew reward :

Fame is my meed, and glory vertuous pray.

But minds of mortal men are muchell mard,

And mou'd amiffle with maffy mucks vnmeet regard.

And more, I graunt to thy great mifery

Gratious reſpect, thy wife ſhall backe be ſent,

And that vile knight, who euer that he bee,

Which hath thy lady reſt, and knighthood ſhent,

By Sanglamort my ſword, whose deadly dent

The blood hath of ſo many thouſands ſhedd,

I ſweare, ere long ſhall dearly it repent;

Ne he twixt heuen and earth ſhall hide his hedd,

But ſoone he ſhal be fownd, and ſhortly doen be dedd.

The

The third Booke of

Cant. X.

The foolish man thereat woxe wondrous blith,
As if the word so spoken, were halfe donne,
And humbly thanked him a thousand fith,
That had from death to life him newly wonne.
Tho forth the Boafter marching, braue begonne
His stolen fteed to thunder furiously,
As if he heauen and hell would oueronne,
And all the world confound with cruelty,
That much Malbecco ioyed in hisiolity.

Thus long they three together traueiled,
Through many a wood, and many an vncouth way,
To seeke his wife, that was far wandered:
But thofe two fought nought, but the prefent pray,
To weete the treasure, which he did bewray,
On which their eies and harts were wholly fett,
With purpofe, how they might it beſt betray;
For fith the howre, that firſt he did them lett (whett
The fame behold, therwith their keene deſires were

It fortunes as they together far'd,
They ſpide, where Paridell came pricking ſaſt
Vpon the plaine, the which him ſelfe prepar'd
To giuſt with that braue ſtraunger knight a caſt,
As on aduenture by the way he pait:
Alone he rode without his Paragone;
For hauing filcht her bells, her vp he caſt
To the wide world, and let her fly alone,
He nould be clogd. So had he ſerued many one.

The gentle Lady. Iooſe at randon leſte,
The greene-wood long did walke, and wander wide
At wilde aduenture, like a forlorne weſte,
Till on a day the Satyres her ſpide

Straying

the Faery Queene.

Straying alone withouten groome or guide;
Her vp they tooke, and with them home her ledd,
With them as houſewife euer to abide,
To milk their gotes, and make them cheeſe & bredd,
And euery one as commune good her handled.

That ſhortly the Malbecco has forgott,
And eke Sir Paridell, all were he deare;
Who from her went to ſeeke another lott,
And now by fortune was arriued here,
Where thofe two guilers with Malbecco were:
Soone as the oldman ſaw Sir Paridell,
He ftainted, and was almoſt dead with ſeare,
Ne word he had to ſpeake, his grieſe to tell,
But to him louted low, and greeted goodly well.

And after asked him for Hellenore,
I take no keepe of her (fayd Paridell)
She wonneth in the forreſt there before,
So forth he rode, as his aduenture ſell;
The whiles the Boafter from his loftie ſell
Faynd to alight, ſomething amife to mend;
But the fresh Swayne would not his leaſure dwell,
But went his way; whom when he paſſed kend,
He vp remounted light, and after faind to wend.

Perdy nay (faid Malbecco) ſhall ye not:
But let him paffe as lightly, as he came:
For little good of him is to be got,
And mickle perill to bee put to ſhame.
But let vs goe to seeke my deareſt Dame,
Whom he hath left in yonder foreſt wyld:
For other ſafety in great doubt I am,
Leaſt ſaluage beaſtes her perſon haue deſpoyld:
Then all the world is loft, and we in vaine haue toyld.

They

554

The third Booke of

Cant. X:

They all agree, and forward them addreſt:
Ah but (said crafty Trompart) weete ye well,
That yonder in that faithfull wilderneſſe
Huge monſters haunt, and many dangers dwell;
Dragons, and Minotaures, and ſeendes of hell,
And many wilde woodmen, which robbe & rend
All traueilers; therefore aduile ye well,
Before ye enterprife that way to wend:
One may his iourney bring too ſoone to euill end.

Malbecco ſtopt in great aftonilhment,
And with pale eyes faſt fixed on the reſt,
Their counſell crau'd, in daunger imminent.
Said Trompart, you that are the moſt oppreſt
With burdein of great treaſure, I thinke beſt
Here for to stay in ſaſetie behynd;
My Lord and I will ſearch the wide ſoreſt.
That counſell pleafed not Malbeccos mynd;
For he was much afraid, him ſelfe alone to ſynd.

Then is it beſt (said he) that ye doe leaue
Your treaſure here in ſome ſecurity,
Either faſt cloſed in ſome hollow greaue,
Or buried in the ground from icopardy,
Till we returne againe in ſafety:
As for vs two, leaſt doubt of vs ye haue,
Hence farre away we will blyndfolded ly,
Ne priuy bee vnto your treaſures graue.
It pleafed: so he did. Then they march forward braue.

Now when amid the thickeſt woodes they were,
They heard a noyſe of many bagpipes ſthrill,
And ſhrieking Hububs them approching nere,
Which all the ſoreſt did with horrour ſill:

That

Cant. X.

the Faëry Queene.

555

That dreadfull ſound the boſters hart did thrill,
With ſuch amazment, that in haſt he fledd,
Ne euer looked back for good or ill,
And after him eke ſearefull Trompart ſpedd;
The old man could not fly, but ſell to ground half dedd.

Yet afterdaes cloſe creeping, as he might,
He in a buſh did hyde his ſearefull hedd,
The iolly Satyres full of ſrefh delight,
Came dauncing forth, and with them nimbly ledd
Faire Hellenore, with girlonds all beſpredd,
Whom their May-lady they had newly made:
She proude of that new honour, which they redd,
And of their louely fellowſhip full glade,
Daunſt liuely, and her face did with a Lawrell ſhade.

The ſilly man that in the thickett lay
Saw all this goodly ſport, and griuèd ſore,
Yet durſt he not againſt it doe or ſay,
But did his hart with bitter thoughts engore,
To ſee the vnkindnes of his Hellenore.
All day they daunced with great luſty hedd,
And with their horned ſeet the greene gras wore,
The whiles their Gotes vpon the brouzes ſedd.
Till drouping Phæbus gan to hyde his golden hedd.

The vp they gan their mery pypes to truffe,
And all their goodly heardes did gather rownd,
But euery Satyre firſt did giue a buſſe
To Hellenore: so buſſes did abound.
Now gan the humid vapour ſhed the grownd.
With perly deaw, and th' Earthes gloomy ſhade
Did dim the brightneſſe of the welkin rownd,
That euery bird and beaſt awarned made,
(uade. To ſhowd them ſclues, whiles ſleepe their ſences did in-

Which

The third Booke of

Cant. X

Which when Malbecco saw, out of his buff
Vpon his hands and feete he crept full light,
And like a Gote emongst the Gotes did rufh,
That through the helpe of his faire hornes on hight,
And mifty dampe of misconceyuing night,
And eke through likenesse of his gotith beard,
He did the better counterfeite aright:
So home he marcht emongst the horned heard,
That none of all the Satyres him espyde or heard.

At night, when all they went to fleepe, he vewd,
Whereas his louely wife emongst them lay,
Embraced of a Satyre rough and rude,
Who all the night did minde his ioyous play:
Nine times he heard him come aloft ere day,
That all his hart with gealofy did fwell;
But yet that nights enample did bewray,
That not for nought his wife them loued so well,
When one so oft a night did ring his matins bell.

So clofely as he could, he to them crept,
When wearie of their sport to fleepe they fell,
And to his wife, that now full foundly flept,
He whifpered in her eare, and did her tell,
That it was he, which by her fide did dwell,
And therefore prayd her wake, to heare him plaine.
As one out of a dreame not waked well,
She turnd her, and returned backe againe:
Yet her for to awake he did the more conftraine.

At laft with irkesom trouble the abrayd,
And then perceiuing, that it was indeed
Her old Malbecco, which did her vpbrayd,
With loofeneffe of her loue, and loathly deed,

She

the Faerie Queene.

She was aftonifht with exceeding dreed,
And would haue wakt the Satyre by her fyde;
But he her prayd, for mercy, or for meed,
To faue his life, ne let him be defcryde,
But hearken to his lore, and all his counfell hyde.

Tho gan he her perſwade, to leaue that lewd
And loathſom life, of God and man abhord,
And home returne, where all ſhould be renewd
With perſeſt peace, and bandes of freeh accord,
And ſhe receiud againe to bed and bord,
As if no trefpas euer had beene donne:
But ſhe it all reſuſed at one word,
And by no meanes would to his will be wonne,
But choſe emongſt the iolly Satyres ſtill to wonne

He wooed her, till day ſpring he espyde;
But all in vaine: and then turnd to the heard,
Who butted him with hornes on euery fyde,
And trode downe in the durt, where his hore beard
Was fowly dight, and he of death aſeare.
Early before the heauens faireſt light
Out of the ruddy Eaſt was fully reard,
The heardes out of their foldes were loofed quight,
And he emongſt the reſt crept forth in ſory plight.

So ſoone as he the Prifon dore did pas,
Heran as faſt, as both his feet could beare,
And neuer looked, who behind him was,
Ne ſcarfely who before: like as a Beare
That creeping cloſe, amongſt the hiues to reare
An hony combe, the wakefull dogs espy,
And him affayling, ſore his carkas teare,
That hardly he with life away does fly,
Ne ſtayes, till ſafe him ſelſe he ſee from icopardy.

Ne

558

The third Booke of

Cant. X.

Ne stayd he, till he came vnto the place,
Where late his treasure he entombed had,
Where when he found it not (for Trompart bace
Had it purloyned for his maister bad:)
With extreme fury he became quite mad,
And ran away, ran with him selfe away:
That who so straungely had him selfe beſtadd,
With vpſtart haire, and ſtaring eyes diſmay,
From Limbo lake him late eſcaped ſure would ſay.

High ouer hilles and ouer dales he fledd,
As if the wind him on his winges had borne,
Ne banck nor buſh could stay him, when he ipedd
His nimble ſeet, as treading ſtill on thorne:
Grieſe, and deſpight, and gealofy, and ſcorne
Did all the way him follow hard behynd,
And he himſelſe himſelſe loath'd ſo forlorne,
So ſhamefully forlorne of womanynd;
That as a Snake, ſtill lurked in his wounded mynd.

Still fled he forward, looking backward ſtill,
Ne stayd his flight, nor ſearefull agony,
Till that he came vnto a rocky hill,
Ouer the ſea, ſuspended dreadfully,
That liuing creature it would terrify,
To looke adowne, or vpward to the hight:
From thence he threw him ſelfe diſpiteouſly,
All desperate of his fore-damned ſpright,
That ſeemd no help for him was left in liuing ſight.

But through long anguſh, and ſelfe-murdring thought
He was ſo waſted and forpined quight,
That all his ſubſtance was conſum'd to nought,
And nothing left, but like an aery ſpright,

That

Cant. X.

the Faery Queene.

That on the rockes he fell ſo flit and light,
That he thereby receiu'd no hurt at all,
But chaunced on a craggy cliff to light;
Whence he with crooked clawes ſo long did crall,
That at the laſt he found a caue with entrance ſmall.

Into the fame he creepes, and thenceforth there
Reſolu'd to build his balefull manſion,
In drery darkenes, and continuall ſeare
Of that rocks fall, which euer and anon
Threatens with huge ruine him to fall vpon,
That he dare neuer ſleepe, but that one eye
Still ope he keepes for that occafion;
Ne euer reſts he in tranquillity,
The roring billowes beat his bowre ſo boyſtrouſly.

Neueuer is he wont on ought to feed,
But todes and frogs, his paſture poyſonous,
Which in his cold complexion doe breed
A filthy blood, or humour rancorous,
Matter of doubt and dread ſuspitious,
That doth with cureleſſe care conſume the hart,
Corrupts the ſtomacke with gall viitious,
Croſcuts the liuer with internall ſmart,
And doth transfixe the foule with deathes eternall dart.

Yet can he neuer dye, but dying liues,
And doth himſelſe with ſorrow new ſuſtaine,
That death and life attonce vnto him giues.
And painefull pleasure turnes to pleafing paine.
There dwels he euer, miſerable ſwaine,
Hatefull both to him ſelfe, and euery wight;
Where he through priuy grieſe, and horrour vaine,
Is woxen ſo deſform'd, that he has quight
Forgot he was a man, and Geſofy is hight.

N n

Cant.

559

The third Booke of
Cant. XI.

560

Cant. XI.

Britomart chaceth Ollyphant,
findes Scudamour distrest:
Assayes the houſe of Buſyrane,
Where loues ſpoyles are exprest.

O Hatefull helliſh Snake, what furie furſt
Brought thee from balefull houſe of Proſerpine,
Where in her boſome ſhe thee long had nurſt,
And foſtred vp with bitter milke of tine,
Fowle Gealofy, that turneſt loue diuine
To ioyleſſe dread, and mak'ſt the louing hart
With hatefull thoughts to languiſh and to pine,
And feed it ſelfe with ſelſe-conſuming ſmart ?
Of all the paſſions in the mind thou vileſt art.

O let him far be baniſhed away,
And in his ſtead let Loue for euer dwell,
Sweete Loue, that doth his golding wings embay
In bleſſed Nectar, and pure Pleaſures well,
Vntroubled of vile ſeare, or bitter ſell.
And ye faire Ladies, that your kingdomes make
In th'arts of men, them gouerne wifely well,
And of faire Britomart enſample take,
That was as trew in loue, as Turtle to her make.

Who with Sir Satyrane, as earſt ye red,
Forth ryding from Malbeccoes hoſtſeſſe houſ,
Far off aſpyde a young man, the which ſled
From an huge Gyaunt, that with hideous

And

Cant. XI.
the Faerie Queene.

561

And hatefull outrage long him chaced thus;
It was that Ollyphant, the brother deare
Of that Argante vile and vitious,
From whom the Squyre of Damess was reſt whylere;
This all as bad as ſhe, and worſe, if worſe ought were.

For as the ſifter did in feminine
And filthy luſt exceede all woman kinde,
So he ſurpaſſed his ſex maſculine,
In beaſtly vſe all, that I euer finde:
Whom when as Britomart beheld behinde
The ſcarefull boy ſo greedily pourſew,
She was emmoued in her noble minde,
T'employ her puiffaunce to his reskew,
And pricked ſiercely forward, where ſhe did him vew.

Ne was Sir Satyrane her far behinde,
But with like fierceneſſe did enſew the chace:
Whom when the Gyaunt ſaw, he ſoonere ſinde
His former ſuit, and from them ſled apace;
They after both, and boldly bad him bace,
And each did ſtrieu the other to outgoe;
But he them both outran a wondrous ſpace,
For he was long, and ſwift as any Roe,
And now made better ſpeed, t'elſcape his ſeared ſoe.

It was not Satyrane, whom he did ſeare,
But Britomart the flowre of chaſtity;
For he the powre of chaſte hands might not beare,
But alwayes did their dread encounter fly:
And now ſo ſaſt his ſeet he did apply,
That he has gotten to a forreſt neare,
Where he is ſhrowded in ſecurity.
The wood they enter, and ſeareh euerie where,
They ſearched diuerſely, ſo both diuided were.

Nn 2

Faire

The third Booke of Cant. XI.

592

Fayre Britonart so long him followed,
That she at last came to a fountaine sheare,
By which there lay a knight all wallowed
Vpon the graffy ground, and by him neare
His haberieon, his helmet, and his speare;
A little of his shield was rudely throwne,
On which the winged boy in colours cleare
Depeinted was, full easie to be knowne,
And he thereby, where euer it in field was showne,

His face vpon the grownd did groueling ly,
As if he had beene flombring in the shade,
That the braue Mayd would not for courteſy,
Out of his quiet flomber him abrade,
Nor ſeeme too ſuddeinly him to inuade:
Still as ſhe ſtood, ſhe heard with grieuous throb
Him grone, as if his hart were peces made,
And with moſt painefull pangs to ſigh and ſob,
That pitty did the Virgins hart of patience rob,

At laſt forth breaking into bitter plaintes
He fayd, O ſouerayne Lord that ſit on hye,
And raignſt in blis emongſt thy bleſſed Saintes,
How ſuffreſt thou ſuch ſhamefull cruelty,
So long ynſwreaked of thine enimy?
Or haſt, thou Lord, of good mens cauſe no heed?
Or doth thy iuſtice ſleepe, and ſilent ly?
What booteth then the good and righteous deed,
If goodneſſe find no grace, nor righteouſnes no meed?

If good find grace, and righteouſnes reward,
Why then is Amoret in caytiue band,
Sith that more bounteous creature neuer far'd
On foot, vpon the face of liuing land?

Or

Cant. XI. the Faery Queene.

563

Or if that heuenly iuſtice may withſtand
The wrongfull outrage of vnrighteous men;
Why then is Bufirane with wicked hand
Suffred, theſe ſeuen monethes day in ſecret den
My Lady and my loue so cruelly to pen?

My Lady and my loue is cruelly pend
In dolefull darkenes from the vew of day,
Whileſt deadly torments dog her chaſt breſt rend,
And the ſharpe ſteele doth riue her hart in tway,
All for ſhe Scudamore will not denay.
Yet thou vile man, vile Scudamore art ſound,
Ne canſt her ayde, ne canſt her foe diſmay;
Vnworthy wretch to tread vpon the ground,
For whom so faire a Lady ſeeles so ſore a wound.

There an huge heape of ſingulſes did oppreſſe
His ſtrugling ſoule, and ſwelling throbs empeach
His foltring toung with pangs of drerineſſe,
Choking the remnant of his plaintife ſpeach,
As if his dayes were come to their laſt reach.
Which when ſhe heard, and ſaw the ghaffly ſit,
Threatning into his life to make a breach,
Both with great ruth and terour ſhe was ſmit,
Fearing leaſt from her cage the wearie ſoule would ſit.

The ſtouping downe ſhe him amoued light;
Who therewith ſomewhat ſtarting, vp gan looke,
And ſeeing him behind a ſtranger knight,
Whereas no liuing creature he mittooke,
With great indignaunce he that ſight forſooke,
And downe againe him ſelfe diſdainefully
Abieſting, th'earth with his faire forhead ſtrooke:
Which the bold Virgin ſeeing, gan apply
Fit medcine to his griefe, and ſpake thus courteſly.

N n 3

Ah

The third Booke of

Cant. XI.

Ah gentle knight, whose deepe conceiued griefe
Well seemes t'exceede the powre of patience,
Yet if that heuenly grace some good reliefe
You send, submit you to high prouidence,
And euer in your noble hart prepense,
That all the sorrow in the world is leffe,
Then vertues might, and values confidence.
For who nill bide the burden of distresse,
Must not here thinke to liue: for life is wretchednesse.

Therefore, faire Sir, doe comfort to you take,
And freely read, what wicked felon so
Hath outrag'd you, and thrald your gentle make.
Perhaps this hand may helpe to eafe your woe,
And wreake your sorrow on your cruell foe,
At least it faire endeouour will apply.
Thofe feeling words so neare the quicke did goe,
That vp his head he reared eafily,
And leaning on his elbowe, theſe few words left fly.

What boots it plaine, that cannot be redrest,
And low vaine sorrow in a fruitlesse eare,
Sith powre of hand, nor skill of learned breſt,
Ne worldly price cannot redeem my deare,
Out of her thraldome and continuall feare?
For he the tyrant, which her hath in ward
By strongen chauntnents and blacke Magicke leare,
Hath in a dungeon deepe her close embard,
And many dreadfull feends hath pointed to her gard.

There he tormenteth her moſt terribly,
And day and night afflicts with mortall paine,
Because to yield him loue ſhe doth deny,
Once to me yold, not to be yolde againe:

But

Cant. XI.

the Faery Queene.

But yet by torture he would her conſtraine
Loue to conceiue in her diſdainfull breſt;
Till ſo ſhe doe, ſhe muſt in doole remaine,
Ne may by liuing meanes be thence releft:
What boots it then to plaine, that cannot be redrest?

With this fad herfall of his heavy ſtreſſe,
The warlike Damzell was empaſſiond ſore,
And ſayd, Sir knight, your cauſe is nothing leſſe,
Then is your ſorrow, certes if not more;
For nothing ſo much pitty doth implore,
As gentle Ladyes helpleſſe mifery.
But yet, if płaſe ye lіen to my lóre,
I will with płoſe of laſt extremity,
Deliuer her fro thence, or with her for you dy.

Ah gentleſt knight aliue, (fayd Scudamore)
What huge heroicke magnanimity
Dwells in thy bounteous breſt? what couldſt thou
If ſhe were thine, and thou as now am I?
O spare thy happy daies, and them apply
To better boot, but let me die, that ought;
More is more loſſe: one is enough to dy,
Life is not loſt, (ſaid ſhe) for which is bought
Endleſſe renownm, that more then death is to be ſought.

Thus ſhe at length perſuaded him to rife,
And with her wend, to ſee what new ſucceſſe
Mote him befall vpon new enterprifes:
His armes, which he had vowed to diſproſeſſe,
She gathered vp. and did about him dřeſſe,
And his forſwandred ſteed vnto him gott:
So forth they both yſere make their progreſſe,
And march not paſt the mountenaunce of a ſhort,
Till they atariu'd, whereas their purpofe they did plott.

N n 4

There

566 The third Booke of

Cant. XI.

There they dismounting, drew their weapons bold
And floutly came vnto the Castle gate;
Whereas no gate they found, them to withhold,
Nor ward to wait at morne and euening late,
But in the Porch, that did them fore amate,
A flaming fire, ymixt with smouldry smoke,
And flinking Sulphure, that with griefely hate
And dreadfull horror did all entraunce choke,
Enforced them their forward footing to reuoke.

Greatly thereat was Britomart difmayd,
Ne in that stownd wift, how her selfe to beare;
For daunger vaine it were, to haue affayd
That cruell element, which all things seare,
Ne none can sufler to approchen neare:
And turning backe to Scudamour, thus sayd,
What monstrous enmity prouoke we heare,
Foolhardy, as the Earthes children, which made
Batteill againft the Gods ? so we a God inuade.

Daunger without discretion to attempt,
Inglorious and beaſtlike is : therefore Sir knight,
Aread what courſe of you is ſaſeſt dempt.
And how we with our foe may come to fight.
This is (quoth he) the dolorous deſpight,
Which earſt to you I playnd : for neither may
This fire be quencht by any witt or might,
Ne yet by any meanes remou'd away;
So mighty be th'enchaütments, which the fame do ſtay.

What is there ells, but ceaſe these fruitleſſe paines,
And leaue me to my former languifhing ?
Faire Amorett muſt dwell in wicked chaines,
And Scudamore here die with ſorrowing.

Perdy

Cant. XI. the Faery Queene.

567

Perdy not so; (ſaide ſhee) for ſhameſuſ thing
Yt were t'abandon noble cheuifaunce,
For ſhewe of perill, without venturing:
Rather let try extremities of chaunce,
Then enterprifed prieſe for dread to diſauaunce.

Therewith reſolu'd to proue her vtmoſt might,
Her ample ſhield ſhe threw before her face,
And her ſwords point directing forward right,
Aſſayld the flame, the which eſteſoones gaue place,
And did it ſelfe diuide with equall ſpace,
That through ſhe paſſed, as a thonder bolt
Perceeth the yielding ayre, and doth diſplace
The ſoring clouds into ſad ſhowres ymoſt;
So to her yold the flames, and did their force reuolt.

Whome whenas Scudamour ſaw paſt the fire,
Safe and vntoucht, he likewife gan affay,
With greedy will, and enuious deſire,
And bad the ſtubborne flames to yield him way:
But cruell Mulciber would not obay
His threatfull pride, but did the more augment
His mighty rage, and with imperious ſway
Him forſt (maulgre) his ſercenes 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 ſell woodnes he effuerced was,
And wilfully him throwing on the gras,
Did beat and bounſe his head and breſt ſful 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

The third Booke of

Cant. XI.

568

For round about, the wallsyclothed were
With goodly arras of great maiety,
Wouen with gold and silke so clole and nere,
That the rich metall lurked priuly,
As faining to be hidd from enuious eye;
Yet here, and there, and euery where vnwares
It shewd it selfe, and thone vnwillingly,
Like to a discolourd Snake, whose hidden snares

Through the greene gras his long bright burnight back
(declares,

And in thofe Tapets weren fafhioned
Many faire pourtraicts, and many a faire feate,
And all of loue, and al of lufty-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 maffacres, which he wrought
On mighty kings and kefars, into thraldome brought.

Therein was writt, how often thondring Ioue
Had felt the point of his hart percing dart,
And leauing heavens kingdome, here did rouse
In straunge disguize, to flake 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 feruaunts law.

Soone after that into a golden showre
Him selfe he chaung'd, faire Denae to vew,
Ant through the roofe of her strong braen towre
Did raine into her lap an hony dew,

The

the Faery Queene.

569

Cant. XI.

The whiles her foolish garde, that little knew
Of such decept, kept th'yron dore fast bard,
And watcht, that none should enter nor iflew,
Vaine was the watch, and bootleffe all the ward,
Whenas the God to golden hew him selfe transfard.

Then was he turnd into a snowy Swan,
To win faire Leda to his louely trade:
O wondrous skill, and sweet wit of the man,
That her in daffadillies sleeping made,
From scorching heat her daintie limbes to shade:
Whiles the proud Bird ruffing his fethers wyde,
And brufhing his faire breft, did her inuade;
Shee flept, yet twixt her eielids clofely spyde,
How towards her he ruicht, 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,
Arnd with his thunderbolts and lightning fire,
Whens dearely she with death bought her desire.
But faire Almena better match did make,
Ioying his loue in likenes more entire,
Three nights in one, they say, that for her fake
He then did put, her pleafures lenger to partake.

Twife was he feene in soaring Eagles shape,
And with wide winges to bear the buxome ayre,
Once, when he with Afterie did scape,
Againe, when as the Troiane boy so fayre
He snacht from Ida hill, and with him bare:
Wondrous delight it was, there to behould,
How the rude Shepheards aftir him did stare,
Trembling through feare, leaft down he fallen should
And often to him calling, to take further hould.

In

The third Booke of

Cant. XI.

570

In Satyres shape Antiope he snatcht:

And like a fire, when he Aegin' affayd:

A shepeheard, when Mremofyne he catcht:

And like a Serpent to the Thracian mayd. (playd,
Whyles thus on earth great Ioue thefe pageaunts

The winged boy did thrust into his throne,
And coffing, thus vnto his mother fayd,
Lo now the heuens obey to me alone,

And take me for their Ioue, whiles Ioue to earth is gone.

And thou, faire Phæbus, in thy colours bright

Waft there enwouen, and the sad diftreffe,

In which that boy thee plonged, for deſpight,
That thou bewray'dt 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 louedft thou the lufty Hyacinſt,

So louedft thou the faire Coronis deare:

Yet both are of thy hapleſſe hand extint,

Yet both in flowres doe liue, and loue thee breare,

The one a Paunce, the other a ſweet beare:

For griefe whereof, ye mote haue liuelly 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 thofe 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

the Faëry Queene.

571

Cant. XI.

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 ſſe for his deareſt Dame,

And for her ſake her cattell fedd a while,

And for her ſake a cow heard vile became,

The ſeruant of Admetus cowheard vile,

Whiles that from heauen he ſuffered exile.

Long were to tell his other louely ſitt,

Now like a Lyon, hunting after ſpoile,

Now like a Hag, now like a faulcon ſit:

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 threeſorkt Pyke

He ſlearnly ſhooke, and therewith ſierce 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 ſoure great Hippodames did draw in temewife

(tyde.)

His ſeahorſes did ſeeme to ſnort amayne,

And from their noſethrilles blow the brynie ſtreame,

That made the ſparkling waues to ſmoke, agayne,

And flame with gold, but the white ſomy creame,

Did ſhine with filuer, and ſhoot forth his beame.

The God himſelfe did penſiue ſeeme and ſad,

And hong adowne his head, as he did dreame:

For priu loue his breſt empierced had,

Ne ought but deare Bisaltis ay could make him glad.

He

The third Booke of

Cant. XI.

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 fight.
Allo 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 fullein *Saturne* euer weend to loue?
Yet loue is fullein, 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 himsselfe into a fruitfull vine,
And into her faire boſome made his grapes decline.

Long were to tell the amorous affayes,
And gentie pangues, with which he maked meeke
The mightie *Mars*, to learne his wanton playes:
How oft for *Venus*, and how often eek
For many other Nymphes hefore did shreek,
With womanif teares, and with vnwarlike ſmarts,
Priuily moyſtening his horrid cheeke.
There was he painted full of burning dartes, (partes,
And many wide woundes launched through his inner

Ne did he ſpare (so cruell was the Elſe)
His owne deare mother, (ah why. should he ſo?)
Ne did he ſpare ſometime to pricke himſelfe,
That he might taſte the ſweet confuming woe,
Which

Cant. XI. the Faerie Queene.

Which he had wrought to many others moe.
But to declare the mournfull Tragedyes,
And ſpoiles, wherewith he all the ground did ſtrow,
More eath to number, with how many eyes
High heuen beholdes ſad louers nightly theeueryes.

Kings Queenes, Lords Ladies, knights & Damſels gent
Were heap'd together with the vulgar ſort,
And mingled with the raskall tablement,
Without reſpect of perſon or of port,
To ſhew Dan *Cupids* powre and great eſort:
And round about a border was entrayld,
Of broken bowes and arrowes ſhiuered ſhort,
And a long bloody riuer through them rayld,
So liuelly and ſo like, that liuing ſence it ſayld.

And at the upper end of that faire rowme,
There was an Altar built of pretious ſtone,
Of paſſing valew, and of great renowne,
On which there ſtood an Image all alone,
Of maffy gold, which with his owne light ſhone;
And winges it had with ſondry colours dight,
More ſondry colours, then the proud *Papone*
Beares in his boafteſd fan, or *Iris* bright, (bright)
When her diſcolour'd bow ſhe ſpreds through heuen

Blyndfold he was, and in his cruell ſift
A mortall bow and arrowes keene did hold,
With which he ſhot at randon, when him lift,
Some beaded with ſad lead, ſome with pure gold;
(Ah man beware, how thou thate dartes behold )
A wounded Dragon vnder him did ly,
Whofe hideous tayle his leſte foot did enfold,
And with a ſhaft was ſhot through either eye,
That no man forth might draw, ne no man remedy.

And

The third Booke of

Cant. XI.

574

And vnderneath his feet was written thus,
*Vnto the Victor of the Gods this bee:*
And all the people in that ample hous
Did to that image bowe their humble knee,
And oft committed fowle Idolatree.
That wondrous fight faire Britomart amazd,
Ne seeing could her wonder fatilitie,
But euermore and more vpon it gazd,
The whiles the pafling brightnes her fraile fences dazd.

Tho as the backward caft her busie eye,
To search each ſecrete of that goodly ſted
Ouer the dore thus written ſhe did ſpye
*Bee bold:* ſhe oft and oft it ouer-red
Yet could not find what ſence it figured:
But what ſo were therein, or writ or ment,
She was no whit thereby discouraged,
Fromlle securing of her firſt intent,
But forward with bold ſteps into the next roome went.

Much fayrer, then the former, was that roome,
And richlier by many partes arayd:
For nor with arras made in painefull loome,
But with pure gold it all was ouerlayd, (playd,
Wrought with wilde Antickes, which their follies
In the rich metall, as they liuing were:
A thouſand monſtrous formes therein were made,
Such as ſalle loue doth oft vpon him weare,
For loue in thouſand moſtrous formes doth oft appeare.

And all about, the gliftring walles were hong
With warlike spoiles, and with victorous prayes,
Of mightie Conquerours and Captaines ſtrong,
Which were whilome captiued in their dayes,
To

the Faery Queene.

575

To cruell loue, and wrought their owne decayes:
Their ſwerds & ſperes were broke, & hauberques rent
And their proud girlonds of tryumphant bayes,
Troden in duſt with ſury inſolent,
To ſhew the victors might and mercileſſe intent.

The warlike Mayd beholding earneſtly
The goodly ordinaunce of this rich Place,
Did greatly wonder, ne could ſatisfy
Her greedy eyes with gazing a long ſpace,
But more the meruaild that no footings trace,
Nor wight appear'd, but waſtefull emptineſſe,
And ſolemne ſilence ouer all that place:
Straunge thing it ſeem'd, that none was to poſſeſſe
So rich purueyaunce, ne them keepe with carefulneſſe.

And as ſhe lookt about, ſhe did behold,
How ouer that fame dore was likewife writ,
*Be bolde, be bolde*, and euery where *Be bold*,
That much ſhe muz'd, yet could not conſtrue it
By any ridling skill, or commune wit.
At laſt ſhe ſpyde at that rowmes vpper end,
Another yron dore, on which was writ,
*Be not too bold*; whereto though ſhe did bend
Her earneſt minde, yet wift not what it might intend.

Thus ſhe there wayted vntill euentyde,
Yet liuing creature none ſhe ſaw appeare:
And now ſad ſhadowes gan the world to hyde
From mortall vew, and wrap in darkenes dreare;
Yet nould ſhe d'off her weary armes, for ſeare
Of ſecret daunger, ne let ſleepe oppreſſe
Her heauy eyes with natures burdein deare,
But drew her ſelfe aſide in ſickerneſſe,
And her welpointed wepons did about her drefſe.

Oo

Cant.

The third Booke of Cant. XII.

576

Cant. XII.

The maske of Cupid, and th'enchanted
Chamber are displayd,
Whence Britomart redeemes faire
Amoret, through charmes decayd.

T
Ho when as cheareleſſe Night couered had
Fayre heauen with an vniuerſall clowd,
That euery wight diſmayd with darkenes ſad,
In ſilence and in ſleepe themſelues did ſhowd,
She heard a ſthrilling Trompet ſound alowd,
Signe of nigh battaill, or got victory;
Nought therewith daunted was her courage prowd,
But rather ſtird to cruell enmity,
Expecting euer, when ſome foe ſhe might deſcry.

With that, an hideous ſtorme of winde aroſe,
With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt,
And an earthquake, as if it ſtreight would loſe
The worlds foundations from his centre ſixt;
A direfull ſtench of ſmoke and ſulphure mixt
Enſewd, whoſe noyaunce ſild the ſeaſefull ſted,
From the fourth howre of night vntill the ſixt;
Yet the bold Britoneſſe was nought ydred,
Though much emmou'd, but ſtedſaſt ſtill perſeuered.

All ſuddeinly a ſtormy whirlwind blew
T hroughout the houſe, that clapped euery dore,
W ith which that yron wicket open ſlew,
A s it with mighty leuers had bene tore:

And

Cant. XII.

the Faerie Queene.

And forth yſſewd, as on the readie flore
Of ſome Theatre, a graue perſonage,
That in his hand a braunch of laurell bore,
With comely haueour and count'nance ſage,
Yclad in costly garments, fit for tragicke Stage.

577

Proceeding to the midſt, he ſtil did ſtand,
As if in minde he ſomewhat had to ſay,
And to the vulgare beekning with his hand,
In ſigne of ſilence, as to heare a play,
By liuelie actions he gan bewray
Some argument of matter paſſioned;
Which doen, he backe retyred ſoft away,
And paſſing by, his name diſcouered,
Eafe, on his robe in golden letters cyphered.

The noble Mayd, ſtill ſtanding all this vewd,
And merueild at his ſtraunge intendment;
With that a ioyous ſellowſhip yſewd
Of Minſtrales, making goodly meriment,
With wanton Bardes, and Rymers impudent,
All which together ſong ſull chearefully
A lay of loues delight, with ſweet concent:
After whom marcht a iolly company,
In manner of a maske, enranged orderly.

The whiles a moſt delitious harmony,
In full ſtraunge notes was ſweetly heard to ſound,
That the rare ſweetneſſe of the melody
The feeble ſences wholy did confound,
And the frayle ſoule in deepe delight nigh drownd:
And when it ceaſt, thrill trompets lowd did bray,
That their report did far away rebound,
And when they ceaſt, it gan againe to play,
The whiles the maskers marched ſorth in trim aray.

002

The

The third Booke of

Cant. XII.

The first was Fansy, like a louely Boy,
Of rare aspect, and beautie without peare,
Matchable ether to that ympe of Troy,
Whom Ioue did loue, and chose his cup to beare,
Or that fame daintie lad, which was so deare
To great Alcides, that when as he dyde,
He wailed womanlike with many a teare,
And euery word, and euery valley wyde
He fild with Hylas name; the Nymphes eke Hylas cryde.

His garment nether was of silke nor say,
But paynted plumes, in goodly order dight,
Like as the sunburnt Indians do aray
Their tawney bodies, in their proudest plight:
As thate fame plumes, so seemd he vaine, and light,
That by his gate might easily appeare;
For still he far'd as dauncing in delight,
And in his hand a windy fan did beate,
That in the ydle ayre he mou'd still here and theare.

And him beside marcht amorous Defyre,
Who seemd of ryper yeares, then th'other Swayne,
Yet was that others Iwayne this elders fyre,
And gaue him being, commune to them twayne:
His garment was difguyfed very vayne,
And his embroidered Bonet fat awry;
Twixt both his hands few sparks he close did Istrayne,
Which still he blew, and kindled busily,
That soone they life conceiu'd, and forth inflames did

Next after him went Doubt, who was yclad
In a difcolour'd cote, of Istraunge difguyfe,
That at his backe a brode Capuccio had,
And sleeues dependaunt Albanefe-wyle:
He

the Faery Queene.

He lookt askew with his miftruftfull eyes,
And nycely trode, as thornes lay in his way
Or that the flore to Ihrinke he did auyfe
And on a broken reed he still did stay,
( lay. His feeble steps, which Ihrunck, when hard thereon he

With him went Daunger, cloth'd in ragged weed,
Made of Beares skin, that him more dreadfull made,
Yet his owne face was dreadfull, ne did need
Straunge horrour, to deforme his griefly shade,
A net in th'one hand, and a rufty blade
In th'other was, this Mifchieſe, that miſhap;
With th'one his foes he threatned to inuade,
With th'other he his friends ment to enwrap:
For whom he could not kill, he prætizd to entrap.

Next him was Feare, all arm'd from top to toe,
Yet thought himselve nnt ſafe enough thereby,
But feard each ſhadow mouing too or froe,
And his owne armes when glittering he did spy,
Or clafhing heard, he faſt away did fly,
As affes pale of hew, and winged heeld;
And euermore on daunger fixt his eye,
Gainſt whom he alwayes bent a braſen ſield,
Which his right hand vnarmed fearefully did wield.

With him went Hope in rancke, a handsome Mayd,
Of chearefull looke and louely to behold;
In ſilken ſamite ſhe was light arayd,
And her fayre lockes were wouen vp in gold;
She alway ſmyld, and in her hand did hold
An holy water Sprinkle, dipt in deowe,
With which ſhe Sprinckled fauours manifold,
On whom the lift, and did great liking ſheowe,
Great liking vnto many, but true loue to ſeowe.

003

579

And

The third Booke of

Cant. XII.

And after them *Diffemblaunce, and Suspect*
Marcht in one rancke, yet an vnequall paire:
For she was gentle, and of milde aspe&,
Courteous to all, and feeming debonaire,
Goodly adorned, and exceeding faire:
Yet was that all but paynted, and pourloynd, ('haire:
And her bright browes were deckt with borrowed
Her deeds were forged, and her words falfe coynd,
And alwaies in her hand two clewes of silke the twynd.

But he was fowle, ill fauoured, and grim,
Vnder his eiebrowes looking still askaunce;
And euer as *Diffemblaunce* laught on him,
He lowrd on her with daungerous eyeglaunce;
Shewing his nature in his countenaunce;
His rolling eies did neuer reft in place,
But walkte each where, for feare of hid mischaunce,
Holding a lattis still before his face,
Through which he stil did peep, as forward he did pace.

Next him went *Griefe*, and *Fury* matcht yfere;
*Griefe* all in fable sorrowfully clad,
Downe hanging his dull head, with heavy chere,
Yet inly being more, then feeming sad :
A paire of Pincers in his hand he had,
With which he pinched people to the hart,
That from thenceforth a wretched life they ladd,
In wilfull languor and confuming smart,
Dying each day with inward wounds of dolours dart.

But *Fury* was full ill appareiled,
In rags, that naked nigh she did appeare,
With ghafftly looks and dreadfull drerihed;
For from her backe her garments she did teare,
And

the Faery Queene.

And from her head ofte rent her snarled heare:
In her right hand a firebrand shee did toffe
About her head, still roming here and there;
As a dismayed Deare in chace emhoft,
Forgetfull of his safety, hath his right way loft.

After them went *Diffleasure* and *Pleasaunce*,
He looking lompith and full fullein sad,
And hanging downe his heavy countenaunce;
She cheartfull fresh and full of ioyaunce glad,
As if no sorrow she ne felt ne dread;
That euill matched paire they seemd to bee:
An angry Wafpe th'one in a viall had
Th'other in hers an hony-lady Bee,
Thus marched these fix couples forth in faire degree

After all these there marcht a molft faire Dame,
Led of two gryfie villeins, th'one *Despight*,
The other cleped *Cruelty* by name:
She dolefull Lady, like a dreary Spright,
Cald by strong charmes out of eternall night,
Had Deathes owne ymage figurd in her face,
Full of sad lignes, fearfull to liuing light,
Yet in that horror shewd a seemely grace,
And with her feeble feete did moue a comely pace.

Her breft all naked, as nett yuory,
Without adorne of gold or filuer bright,
Wherewith the Craftesman wonts it beautify,
Of her dew honour was despoyled quight,
And a wide wound therein (O ruefull fight)
Entrenched deep with knyfe accursed keene,
Yet freshly bleeding forth her fainting spright,
(The worke of cruell hand) was to be feene,
That dyde in fanguine red her skin all snowy cleene.

004

At

582 The third Booke of

Cant. XII.

At that wide orifice her trembling hart
Was drawne forth, and in tiluer basin layd,
Quite through transfixed with a deadly dart,
And in her blood yet steeming freth embayd:
And those two villeins, which her steps vpftayd,
When her weake feete could scarcely her luftaine,
And fading vitall powres gan to fade,
Her forward skill with torture did conſtraine,
And euermore encreaſed her confuming paine.

Next after her, the winged God him ſelfe
Cameriding on a Lion rauenous,
Taught to obay the menage of that Elſe,
That man and beaſt with powre imperious
Subdeweth to his kingdome tyrannous:
His blindfold eies he bad a while vnbinde,
That his proud ſpoile of that fame dolorous
Faire Dame he might behold in perſect kinde,
Which ſeene, he much reioyced in his cruell minde.

Of which ful prowd, him ſelfe vp rearing hye,
He looked round about with ſterne diſdayne;
And did ſuruay his goodly company:
And marshhalling the euill ordered trayne,
With that the darts which his right did ſtraine,
Full dreadfully he ſhooke that all did quake,
And clapt on hye his coulourd winges twaine,
That all his many it affraide did make:
Tho blinding him againe, his way he forth did take.

Behinde him was Reproch, Repentaunce, Shames,
Reproch the firſt, Shame next, Repent behinde:
Repen'taunce feeble, ſorowfull, and lame :
Reproch deſpightful, careleſſe, and vnkind;

Shame

Cant. XII. the Faery Queene:

583

Shame most ill ſauourd, beſtiall, and blinde:
Shame lowrd, Repentaunce ſigh'd, Reproch did ſcould,
Reproch ſharpe ſtrings, Repentaunce whips entwinde,
Shame burning brond-yrons in her hand did hold :
All three to each vnlike, yet all made in one mould.

And after them a rude confused rout
Of perſons flockt, whose names is hard to read:
Emongſt them was ſterne Strife, and Anger ſtout,
Vnquiet Care, and fond Vnthriftyhead,
Lewd Loſſe of Time,, and Sorrow ſeeming dead,
Inconſtant Chaunge, and ſalſe Difloyalty,
Conſuming Riotife, and guilty Dread
Of heauenly vengeaunce, faint Infirmity,
Vile Pouerty, and laſtly Death with infamy.

There were full many moe like maladies,
Whofe names and natures I note readen well;
So many moe, as there be phantases
In wauering wemens witt, that none can tell,
Or paines in loue, or puniſhments in hell;
All which diſguized marcht in masking wife,
About the camber by the Damozell,
And then returned, hauing marched thrife,
Into the inner rowme, from whence they firſt did rife.

So ſoone as they were in, the dore ſtreight way
Faſt locked, driven with that ſtormy-blaſt,
Which firſt it opened; nothing did remayne.
Then the braue Maid, which al this while was plaſt,
In ſecret ſhade, and ſaw both firſt and laſt,
IFFewed forth, and went vnto the dore,
To enter in, but ſownd it locked ſaſt:
It vaine the thought with rigorons vprore
For to eſforce, when charmes had cloſed it afore.

Where

The third Booke of
Cant. XII.

584

Where force might not auaile, their fleights and art
She caft to vse, both fitt for hard emprize;
For thy from that fame rowme not to depart
Till morrow next, ſhee did her ſelfe auize,
When that fame Maske againe ſhould forth arize.
The morrowe next appeard with ioyous cheare,
Calling men to their daily ezercize,
Then ſhe, as morrow fresh, her ſelfe did reare
Out of her ſecret ſtand, that day for to outweare.

All that day ſhe outwore in wandering,
And gazing on that Chambers ornament,
Till that againe the ſecond euening
Her couered with her ſable vestiment,
Wherewith the worlds faire beautie ſhe hath blent:
Then when the ſecond watch was almost paſt,
That braſen dore flew open, and in went
Bold Britomart, as ſhe had late forecaſt,
Nether of ydle ſhowes, nor of falſe charmes aghaſt.

So ſoone as ſhe was entred, rownd about
Shee caſt her eies, to ſee what was become
Of all thofe persons, which ſhe ſaw without:
But lo, they ſtreight were vanifht all and ſome,
Ne liuing wight ſhe ſaw in all that roome,
Saue that fame woefull Lady, both whoſe hands
Were bounden ſaſt, that did her ill become,
And her ſmall waſte girt rownd with yron bands,
Vnto a braſen pillour, by the which ſhe ſtands.

And her before the vile Enchaunter ſate,
Figuring ſtraunge characters of his art,
With liuing blood he thofe characters wrate,
Dreadfully dropping from her dying hart,

Seeming

the Faery Queene.

Cant. XII.

Seeming transfixed with a cruell dart,
And all perforce to make her him to loue.
Ah who can loue the worker of her ſmart?
A thouſand charmes he formerly did proue,
Yet thouſand charmes could not her ſtedſaſt hart re-

Soone as that virgin knight he ſaw in place,
His wicked bookes in haſt he ouerthrew,
Not caring his long labours to deface,
And fiercely running to that Lady trew,
A murdrous knife out of his pocket drew,
The which he thought, for villeinous deſpight,
In her tormented bodie to embrew:
But the ſtout Damzell to him leaping light,
His curſed hand withheld, and maiftered his might.

From her, to whom his fury firſt he ment,
The wicked weapon rafhly he did wreſt,
And turning to the next his ſell intent,
Vnwares it ſtrooke into her ſnowie cheſt,
That little drops empurpled her faire breſt.
Exceeding wroth therewith the virgin grew,
Albe the wound were nothing deepe impreſt,
And fiercely forth her mortall blade ſhe drew,
To giue him the reward for ſuch vile outrage dew.

So mightily ſhe ſmote him, that to ground
He fell halſe dead; next ſtroke him ſhould haue ſlaine,
Had not the Lady, which by him ſtood bound,
Dernly vnto him called to abſtaine,
From doing him to dy. For eſſe her paine
Should be remedileſſe, ſith none but hee,
Which wrought it, could the ſame recure againe.
Therewith ſhe ſtayd her hand, loth ſtayd to bee;
For life ſhe him enuyde, and long'd reuenge to ſee.

And

585

The third Booke of Cant. XII.

And to him said, Thou wicked man, whose meed
For so huge mischiefe, and vile villany
Is death, or if that ought doe death exceed,
Be sure, that nought may faue thee from to dy,
But if that thou this Dame doe prefently
Reſtore vnto her health, and former ſtate;
This doe and liue, els dye vndoubtedly.
He glad of life, that lookt for death but late,
Did yield him ſelfe right willing to prolong his date.

And rifing vp, gan ſtreight to ouerlooke
Thofe cursed leaues, his charmeſe back to reuerſe;
Full dreadfull thinges out of that balefull booke
He red, and meaſur'd many a ſad verſe,
That horrour gan the virgins hart to perſe,
And her faire locks vp ſtared ſtiffe on end,
Hearing him that ſame bloody lynes reherſe;
And all the while he red, ſhe did extend
Her ſword high ouer him, if ought he did offend.

Anon ſhe gan perceiue the houſe to quake,
And all the dores to rattle round about;
Yet all that did not her diſmaied make,
Nor ſlack her threatfull hand for daungers dout,
But ſtill with ſtedſaſt eye and courage ſtout,
Abode to weet, what end would come of all.
At laſt that mightie chaine, which round about
Her tender waſte was wound, adowne gan fall,
And that great braſen pillour broke in pceces ſmall.

The cruell ſteele, which thirld her dying hart,
Fell softly forth, as of his owne accord,
And the wyde wound, which lately did diſpart
Her bleeding breſt, and riuen bowels gor'd,

Was

the Faëry Queene.

Was cloſed vp, as it had not beene for'd,
And euery part to safety full ſownd,
As ſhe were neuer hurt, was ſoone reſtor'd:
Tho when ſhe felt her ſelfe to be vnbownd,
And perſect hole, proſtrate the ſell vnto the grownd,

Before faire Britomart, ſhe fell proſtrate,
Saying, Ah noble knight, what worthy meede
Can wretched Lady, quitt from woſull ſtate,
Yield you in lieu of this your gracious deed;
Your vertue ſelfe her owne reward ſhall breed,
Euen immortall prayſe, and glory wyde
Which I your vaſſall, by your prowefſe freed,
Shall through the world make to be notifyde,
And goodly well aduaunce that goodly well was tryde.

But Britomart vprearing her from grownd,
Said, Gentle Dame, reward enough I weene
For many labours more, then I haue found,
This, that in ſafetie now I haue you ſene,
And meane of your deliuerance haue beene:
Henceforth faire Lad comfort to you take,
And put away remembraunce of late teene;
In ſted thereof know, that your louing Make,
Hath no leſſe grieſe endured for your gentle ſake.

She much was cheard to heare him mentiond,
Whom of all liuing wightes ſhe loued best.
Then laid the noble Championeſſe ſtrong hond
Vpon th'enchaunter, which had her diſtreft
So ſore, and with foule outrages oppreſt:
With that great chaine, wherewith not long ygoe
He bound that pitteous Lady prifoner, now reſſt,
Him ſelfe the bound, more worthy to be ſo,
And captiue with her led to wretchedneſſe and wo.

Retur-

588

The third Booke of

Cant. XII.

Returning back, those goodly rowmes, which erst
He saw so rich and royally arayd,
Now vanifht ytterly, and cleane subuerst
He found, and all their glory quite decayd,
That fight of such a chaunge him much difmayd.
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 diftresse,
Twixt dolour and deſpight halſe 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 anguith, and dead heauineſſe,
And to him cald; whose voices knowen found
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 vpſtarted from the loath ed layes,
And to her ran with haſty egerneffe,
Like as a Deare, that greedily embayes
In the coole ſoile, after long thirtineſſe,
Which he in chace endured hath, now nigh breathleſſe.

Lightly he clipt her twixt his armes twaine,
And freightly did embrace her body bright,
Her body, late the prifon of ſad paine,
Now the sweet lodge of loue and deare delight

But

Cant. XLI.

the Faerie Queene.

589

But ſhe faire Lady ouercommen quight
Of huge affection, did in pleasure melt,
And in ſweete rauilhment pourd out her ſpright:
No word they ſpake, nor earthly thing they felt,
But like two ſenceſes ſtocks in long embracemèt 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 halſe 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.

592

former works, 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 Per-
ſons of Agamemnon and Vlyſſes hath enſampled a good go-
uernour and a vertuous man, the one in his Ilias, the other
in his Odyſeis: then Virgil, whose like intention was to doe
in the perſon of Aeneas: after him Ariſto comprised them
both in his Orlando: and lately Tasso diſſenuered them a-
gaine, and formed both parts in two perſons, namely that
part which they in Philofophy 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 pourtraiſt in Arthure, before he was king,
the image of a braue knight, perſeſed in the twelue priuate
morall vertues, as Arisſotle hath deuifed, the which is the
purpoe of theſe first twelue bookeſ: which if I finde to be well
accepted, I may be perhaps encouraged, to frame the other part
of politicke vertues in his perſon, after that hee came to be
king. To some I know this, Methode will ſeeme displea-
ſaunt, which had rather haue good discipline deliuered plain-
ly in way of precep's, or ſermoned at large, as they vſe, then
thus slowdily enwrapped in All goricall deuises. But ſuch,
we ſeeme, ſhould be ſatistide 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 exquifite depth of his iudgement, formed a
Commune welth ſuch as it ſhould be, but the other in the
perſon of Cyrus and the Persians ſashioned a gouvernement
ſuch as might best be: So much more profitable and grati-
ous is doſtline 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 deli-
uered to be brought up, so ſoone as he was borne of the Lady
Igrayne, to haue ſeene in a dream or vſion the Faery Queen,
with

with whose excellent beauty rauiſhed, he awaking refolved 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 per-
ſons, 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 expresse in Belphæbe, ſashioning her name
according to your owne excellent conceipt of Cynthia, (Phæ-
be and Cynthia being both names of Diana.) So in the
perſon of Prince Arthure I ſette forth magnificence in parti-
cular, which vertue for that (according to Arisſotle and the
reſt) it is the perſection of all the reſt, and contineth 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
knights the patrones, for the more variety of the history: Of
which theſe three bookeſ contayn three. The first of the knight
of the Redcrosſe, in whome I expresse Holynes: The ſeconde
of Sir Guyon, in whome I ſette forth Temperaunce: The
third of Britomartis a Lady knight, in whome I pichure Cha-
ſtity. But because the beginning of the whole worke ſee-
meth abrupte and as depending upon other antecedents, it
needs that ye know the occaſion of theſe three knights ſeverall
aduentures. For the Methode of a Poet hiflorical is not
ſuch, as of an Hiftoriographer. For an Hiftoriographer diſ-
courseth 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 re-
coursing to the thinges forepapſe, and diuining of thinges
to come, maketh a pleasing Analysis of all. The beginning
therefore of my hiftory, if it were to be told by an Hiftoriogra-
pher

P p. 2.

593

594

pher (should be the twelfth booke, which is the last, where I
dense that the Faery Queene kept her Annual feaste xii.
dayes, uppon which xii. Seuerall dayes, the occasions of the
xii. Seuerall aduentures happened, which being undertaken
by xii. Seuerall knights, are in these xii. books Seuerally han-
dled and discouused. The first was this. In the beginning
of the feast, there presented him selfe a tall clownish younge
man, who falling before the Queen of Faries fired a boone
(as the manner then was) which during that feast he might
not refuse: which was that hee might have the atchieuement
of any aduenture, which during that feaste should happen,
that being graunted, he rested him on the floore, unsitte
through his rusticity for a better place. Soone after entred
a faire Ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a white Affe,
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 up in a brazen Ca-
stle, who thence suffered them not to ysisse: and therefore be-
fought the Faery Queene to affygne her some one of her
knights to take on him that exployt. Presently that clownish
person upstarting, 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 unleffe that armour which she brought, would
frue 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 upon 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 strange
Courser, he went forth with her on that aduenture: where
beginneth the first booke, wz.

A gentle knight was pricking on the playne. &c.

The

595

The second day ther came in a Palmer bearing an Infant
with bloody hands, whose Parents he complained to have bene
slayn by an Enchaunteresse called Acrafia: and therfore cra-
ued of the Faery Queene, to appoint him some knight, to per-
forme 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 subject thereof.
The third day there came in, a Groome who complained be-
fore the Faery Queene, that a vile Enchaunter called Busi-
rane had in hand a most faire Lady called Amore ita, 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 unable to performe it by reason of the hard En-
chauntings, after long sorrow, in the end met with Brito-
martis, who succoured him, and reskewed his loue.

But by occasion hereof, many other aduentures are inter-
medled, but rather as Accidents, then intendments. As the
loue of Britomart, the ouerthrow of Marinell, the misery of
Florimell, the vertuonsnes of Belphæbe, the lasciuonsnes of
Hellenora, and many the like.

Thus much Sir, I haue briefly ouerronne to direct your un-
derstanding to the wel-head of the Hiftory, that from thence
gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may as in a
handfull gripe at the discourse, which otherwise may happily
seeme tedious and confused. So humbly crauing the conti-
nuance of your honorable fauour towards me, and th'eter-
nall establishment of your happines, I humbly take leane.

23. January. 1589.

Yours most humbly affectionate.
Ed. Spenfer.

Pp 3

A

596

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 pafling by that way,
To fee that buried duft of liuing fame,
Whofe tumbe faire loue, and fairer vertue kept,
All fuddeinly I saw the Faery Queene:
At whose approch the foule 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 that acceſſe of that celeſtiall theife.

Another of the ſame.

T
He prayſe of meaner wits this worke like profit brings,
As doth the Cuckoes ſong delight whê 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 of all that liue, or ſuch as wrote of yore:
And thereby will excuſe and fauour thy good will:
Whofe vertue can not be expreſſ, 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 that ſe of thy deuice.

W. R.

597

To the learned Shepeheard.

C
Ollyn I fee by thy new taken taske,
some ſacred ſury 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 unto kinges,
So like the liuely Larke that mounting ſinges.

Thy louely Roſolinde ſeemes now forlorne,
and all thy gentle flockes ſorgotten quight,
Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in ſcorne,
thoſe pretty pypes that did thy mates delight.
Thoſe truſtly mates, that loued thee ſo well,
Whom thou gauſt mirth: as they gaue thee the bell.

Tet as thou eart ſt with thy ſweete roundelayes,
didſt ſirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers:
So mought ſt thou now in theſe refyned layes,
delight the daintie eares of higher powers.
And ſo mought they in their deepe scanning skill
Alow and grace our Collynſ flowing quyll.

And fare befall that Faery Queene of thine,
in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue ſittes:
Enfusing by those bewties ſyers deuyne,
such high conceites into thy humble wittes,
As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede,
From ruſtick tunes, to chaunt heroique deeds.

So mought thy Redcroſſe knight with happy hand
victorious be in that faire Ilands right:
Which thou doſt vayle in Type of Faery land
Elyzas bleſſed field, that Albion hight.
That ſhieldes her friendes, and warres her mightie foes,
Tet ſtill with people, peace, and plentie flowes.

P. p. 4

But

598

But (iolly ſhepeheard) though with pleafing ſtyle,
thou feast the humour of the Courtil trayne:

Let not conceipt thy ſetled ſence beguile,
ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine.

Subiect thy dome to her Empyring ſpright,
From whence thy Mufe, and all the world takes light.

Hobynoll.

Fayre Thamis ſtreame, that from Ludds ſtately towne,
Runſt paying tribute to the Ocean seas,

Let all thy Nymphes and Syrens of renowne

Be ſilent, w hyle this Bryttane Orpheus playes:

Nere thy ſweet bankes, there liues that ſacred crowne,
Whose hand ſtrowes Palme and neuer-dying bayes,

Let all at once, with thy ſoft murmuring ſowne

Preſent her with this worthy Poets prayes.

For he hath taught hye drifts in ſhepeherdes weedes,
And deepe conceites now ſinges in Faeries deedes.

R. S.

Graue Mufes march in triumph and with prayſes,
Our Goddeſe here hath giuen you leaue to land:

And biddes this rare diſpenſer of your graces
Bow downe his brow vnto her ſacred hand.

Deſertes findes dew in that moſt princely doome,
In whose ſweete breſt are all the Mufes bredde:

So did that great Augustus erſt in Roome

With leaues of fame adorne his Poets hedde.

Faire be the guerdon of your Faery Queene,
Euen of the faireſt that the world hath ſeene.

H. B.

599

When ſtout Achilles heard of Helens rape
And what reuenge the States of Greece deuifd:

Thinking by ſleight the fatall warres to ſcape,
In womans weedes him ſelfe he then diſguifde:

But this deuife Vlyſſes ſoone did ſpy,
And brought him forth, the chaunce of warre to try.

When Spencer ſaw the fame was ſpredd so large,
Through Faery land of their renowned Queene:
Loth that his Mufe should take so great a charge,
As in ſuch haughty matter to be ſene,

To ſeeme a ſhepeheard then he made his choice,
But Sydney heard him ſing, and knew his voice.

And as Vlyſſes brought faire Thetis ſonne

From his retyred life to menage armes:

So Spencer was by Sidneys ſpeaches wonne,

To blaze her fame not fearing future harmes:

For well he knew, his Mufe would ſoone be tyred
In her high praisc, that all the world admired.

Yet as Achilles in thofe warlike ſrayes,

Did win the palme from all the Grecian Peeres:

So Spencer now to his immortall prayſe,

Hath wonne the Laurell quite from all his feres.

What though his taske exceed a humaine witt,
He is excuſ'd, ſith Sidney thought it ſitt.

W. L.

To

600

To looke upon a worke of rare deuife
The which a workman setteth out to view,
And not to yield it the deferred prife,
That unto such a workmanship is dew.
Doth either proue the iudgement to be naught
Or els doth shew a mind with enuy fraught.

To labour to commend a peeece of worke,
Which no man goes about to discommend,
Would raise a jealous doubt that there did lurke,
Some secret doubt, whereto the prayse did tend.
For when men know the goodnes of the wyne,
Tis needleſe for the hoaſt to haue a ſygne.

Thus then to shew my iudgement to be ſuch
As can discerne of colours blacke, and white,
As alls to free my minde from enuies tuch,
That neuer giues to any man his right,
I here pronounce this workmanship is ſuch,
As that no pen can fet it forth too much.

And thus I hang a garland at the dore,
Not for to shew the goodnes of the ware:
But ſuch hath beene the custome heretofore,
And customes very hardly broken are.
And when your taſt shall tell you this is trew,
Then looke you give your hoaſt his utmoſt dew.

Ignoto.

601

To the right honourable Sir Christopher Hatton,
Lord high Chauncelor of England. &c.

To Hofe prudent heads, that with theire counſels wive
Whylom the Pillours of th'earth did ſuſtaine,
And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannife,
And in the neck of all the world to rayne,
Oſt from thofe graue affaires were wont abſtaine,
With the ſweet Lady Mufes for to play:
So Ennius the elder Africane,
So Maro oft did Caſars cares allay.

So you great Lord, that with your counſell ſway
The burdeine of this kingdom mightily,
With like delightes ſometimes may eke delay,
The rugged brow of carefull Policy:
And to theſe ydle rymes lend little ſpace,
Which for their titles ſake may find more grace.

To the moſt honourable and excellent Lo. the Earle
of Eſſex. Great Maſter of the Horſe to her Highneſſe,
and knight of the Noble order of the Garter. &c.

To the laſt praises of this Faery Queene,
Then ſhall it make more famous memory
Of thine Heroicke parts, ſuch as they beene:
Till then vouchſaſe thy noble countenaunce,
To theſe firſt labours needed furtheraunce,

602

To the right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford,
Lord high Chamberlayne of England. &c.

REceiue moſt Noble Lord in gentle gree,
The vnripe fruit of an vnready witt:
Which by thy countenaunce doth craue to bee
Defended from foule Enuies poſſuous bit.

Which so to doe may thee right well beſt,
Sith th'antique glory of thine aunceſtry
Vnder a ſhady vele is therein writ,
And eke thine owne long liuing memory,

Succeeding them in true nobility:

And alſo for the loue, which thou doſt beare
To th'Heliconian ymps,and they to thee,
They vnto thee,and thou to them moſt deare:

Deare as thou art vnto thy ſelfe, so loue
That loues & honours thee, as doth behoue.

To the right honourable the Earle of
Northumberland.

THE sacred Mufes haue made alwaies clame
To be the Nourſes of nobility,
And Regiſtres of eueraſting fame,
To all that armes proſeſe and cheualry.
Then by like right the noble Progeny,
Which them ſucceed in fame and worth, are tyde
T'embrace the ſeruice of sweete Poetry,
By whose endenours they are gloriſe,
And eke from all, of whom it is enuide,
To patroniſe the authour of their praisſe,
Which giues them life, that els would soone haue dide,
And crownes their aſhes with immortall baies.

To thee therefore right noble Lord I ſend
This preſent of my paines, it to defend.

603

To the right Honourable the Earle of
Ormond and Oſſory.

REceiue moſt noble Lord a ſimple taſte
Of the wilde fruit, which ſaluage ſoyl hath bred,
Which being through long wars left almoſt waſte,
With brutiſh barbariſme is ouerſpredd:

And in so faire a land, as may be redd,
Not one Parnasus, nor one Heliſone
Left for sweete Mufes to be harboured,
But where thy ſelfe haſt thy braue manſione;

There in deede dwel faire Graces many one.
And gentle Nymphes, delights of learned wits,
And in thy perſon without Paragone
All goodly bountie and true honour ſits,

Such therefore, as that waſted ſoyl doth yield,
Receiue dear Lord in worth, the fruit of barren field.

To the right honourable the Lo. Ch. Howard, Lo. high Admi-
ral of England, knight of the noble order of the Garter,
and one of her Maieſties priuie Counſel, &c.

AND ye, braue Lord, whose goodly perſonage,
And noble deeds each other garniſing,
Make you enſample to the preſent age,
Of th'old Heroes, whose famous ſpring

The antique Poets wont so much to ſing,
In this fame Pageaunt haue a worthy place,
Sith thofe huge castles of Castilian king,
That vainly threatened kingdomes to displace,

Like flying doues ye did before you chaces,
And that proud people woxen insolent
Through many victeries, didſt firſt deſace:

Thy praisſes eueraſting monument
Is in this verſe engrauen ſemblably,
That it may lie to all posterity.

604

To the most renowned and valiant Lord, the
Lord Grey of Wilton, knight of the Noble order
of the Gatter, &c.

Most Noble Lord the pillor of my life,
And Patrone of my Muses pupillage,
Through whose large bountie poured on me life,
In the first season of my feeble age,
I now doe liue, bound yours by vassalage:
Sith nothing euer may redeem, nor reaue
Out of your endlesse debt so sure a gage,
Vouchsafe in worth this small guilt to receaue,
Which in your noble hands for pledge I leaue,
Of all the rest, that I am tyde t'account:
Rude rymes, the which a ruftick Mufe did weaue
In Sauadge soyle, far from Parnass mount,
And roughly wrought in an vnlearned Loome:
The which vouchsafe dear Lord your fauorable doome.

To the right noble and valorous knight, Sir Walter Raleigh,
Lo. Wardein of the Stanneryes, and liefenaunt
of Cornewale.

To thee that art the sommers Nightingale,
Thy sonseraine Goddesse most deare delight,
Why doe I send this rufticke Madrigale,
That may thy tuneful eare vnseason quite?

Thou onely fit this Argument to write,
In whose high thoughts Pleasure hath built her bowre,
And dainty loue learend sweetly to endite.
My rimes I know vnfaunory and fowre,

To taft the streames, that like a golaen showre
Flow from thy fruitfull head, of thy loues praise,
Fitter perhaps to thonder Martiall stowre,
When so thee lift thy lofty Mufe to raise:

Yet till that thou thy Poeme wilt make knowne,
Let thy faire Cinthias praises bee thus rudely showne.

To the right honourable Sir Christopher Hatton,
Lord high Chaucelor of England &c.

Hose prudent heads, that with theire counsels wive
Whylom the Pillours of th'earth did suftaine,
And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannife,
And in the neck of all the world to rayne,
Oft from thos[e] graue affaires were wont abstaine,
With the sweet Lady Muses for to play:
So Ennius the elder Africane,
So Maro oft did C[æ]fars cares allay.

So you great Lord, that with your counfell fway
he burdeine of this kingdom mightily,
With like delightes sometimes may eke delay,
The rugged brow of carefull Policy:

And to thefe ydle rymes lend little space,
Which for their titles fake may find more grace.

To the right honourable the Lo. Burleigh Lo. high
Threasurer of England.

To you right noble Lord, whose careful breft
To menage of most graue affaires is bent,
And on whose mightie shoulders most doth rest
The burdein of this kingdoms gouernement,

As the wide compaffe of the firmament,
On Atlas mighty shoulders is vpftayd;
Vnfitly I thefe ydle rimes preſent,
The labor of loft time, and wit vnftayd:

Yet if their deeper fence be inly wayd,
And the dim vele, with which from comune vew
Their fairer parts are hid, aſide be layd.
Perhaps not vaine they may appeare to you.

Such as they be, vouchsafe them to receaue,
And wipe their faults out of your cenſure graue.

E. S.

Lg

RECEIUE MOFT Noble Lord in gentle gree,
The vnripe fruit of an vnready wit:
Which by thy countenaunce doth craue to bee
Defended from foule Enuies poifnous bit.
Which so to doe may thee right well beſit,
Sith th'antique glory of thine aunceſtry
Under a ſhady vele is therein writ,
And eke thine owne long liuing memory,
Succeeding them in true nobility:
And also for the loue, which thou doſt beare
To th'Heliconian ympſ, and they to thee,
They vnto thee, and thou to them moſt deare:
Deare as thou art vnto thy ſelfe, so loue
That loues & honours thee, as doth behoue,

THE SACRED MUSES HAUVE MADE ALWAIES CLAME
TO BE THE NOURSES OF NOBILITY,
AND REGISTRES OF FEUERLASTING FAME,
TO ALL THAT ARMES PROFEſſE and CHEUALRY.
THEN BY LIKE RIGHT the NOBLE PROGENY,
WHICH THEM SUCCEED IN FAME and WORTH, ARE TYDE
T'EMBRACE the SERVICe of SWEETE POETRY,
BY WHOSE ENDEUOURS THEY ARE GLORIſE,
AND EKE FROM ALL, OF WHOM IT IS EUUIDE,
TO PATRONIZE the AUTHOR of their PRAIſE,
WHICH GIVES THEM LIFE, THAT ELS WOULD SOOME HAUVE DIDE,
AND CROWNES THEIR AŠES WITH IMMORTAL BAIES.

TO THEE, THEREFORE, RIGHT NOBLE LORD, I FEND
THIS PREſENT of my PAINES, it to defend.

To the right honourable the Earle of Cumberland.

REEDUBTED LORD, IN WHOLE CORAGEOUS MIND,
The flowre of cheualry now blooming faire,
DOTh PROMISE FRUITE WORTHY THE NOBLE KIND,
WHICH OF THEIR PRAIſES HAUVE LEFT YOU THE HAIRE;
TO YOU THIS HUMBLE PREſENT I PREPARE,
FOR LOUE OF VERTUE AND OF MARTIAL PRAIſE,
TO WHICH THOUGH NOBLY YE INCLINED ARE,
AS GOODLIE WELL YE SHW'D IN LATE AFFAIES,
YET BRAUE ENŠAMPLE OF LONG PAFFED DAIES,
IN WHICH TREW HONOR YEE MAY FA ſHIOND SEE,
TO LIKE DESIRE OF HONOR MAY YE RAIſE,
AND FILL YOUR MIND WITH MAGNANIMITEE.

RECEIUE IT LORD THEREFORE AS IT WAS MENT,
FOR HONOR OF YOUR NAME and HIGH DESCENT,

E. S.

TO THE MOſT HONOURABLE and EXCELLENT LO, THE EARLE
OF ESSEX. GREAT MAIFTER OF THE HORSE TO HER HIGHNEſſE,
AND KNIGHT OF THE NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER. &c.

MAGNIFICERE LORD, WHOSE VERTUES EXCELLENT
DOE MERIT A MOſT fAMOUS POETS WITT,
TO BE THY LIUING PRAIſES INSTRUMENT,
YET DOE NOT ſDEIGNE, TO LET THY NAME BE WRITT
IN THIS BAſE POEME, FOR THEE FAR UNFITT.
NOUNGHT IS THY WORTH DISPARAGED THEREBY,
BUT WHEN MY MUSE, WHOSE FETHERS NOTHING FLIUT
DOE YET BUT FLAGG, AND LOWLY LEARNE TO FLY

WITH BOLDER WING, SHALL DARE ALOFT TO FLY
TO THE LAST PRAIſES OF THIS FAERY QUEENE,
THEN SHALL IT MAKE MORE fAMOUS MEMORY
OF THINE HEROICKE PARTS, SUCH AS THEY BEENE:
TILL THEN VOUCHSAFETHY NOBLE COUNTENAUNCE,
TO THESE FIRST LABOURS NEEDED fURTHERAUNCE,

Q q 2

To the right Honourable the Earle of
Ormond and O ffery.

REcciue most noble Lord a simple tafte
Of the wilde fruit, which faluage foyl hath bred,
Which being through long wars left almost waſte,
With brutiſh barbarisme is ouerpredd:
And in ſo faire a land, as may be redd,
Not one Parnafus, nor one Helicone
Left for ſweete Mufes to be harboured,
But where thy ſelfe haſt thy braue manſione,
There in deede dwel ſaire Graces many one.
And gentle Nymphes, delights of learned wits,
And in thy perſon without Paragone
All goodly bountie and true honour ſits,
Such therefore, as that waſted ſoyl doth yield,
Recciue dear Lord in worth, the fruit of barren field.

To the right honourable the Lo. Ch. Howard, Lo. high Admi-
ral of England, knight of the noble order of the Garter,
and one of her Maiesties priuie Counsel. &c.

ANDye, braue Lord, whose goodly perſonage,
And noble deeds each other garniſting,
Make you enſample to the preſent age,
Of th'old Heroes, whose famous ſpring
The antique Poets want so much to ſing,
In this fame Pageaunt haue a worthy place,
Sith thofe huge castles of Castilian king,
That vainly threatened kingdoms to diſplace,
Like flying doues ye did before you chace;
And that proud people woxen inſclent
Through many victories, did ſt ſuſt ſtate:
Thy praisſe euer laſting monument
Is in this verſe engrauen ſemblably,
That it may lie to all posterity.

To the right honourable the Lord of Hunsdon, high
Chamberlaine to her Maiety.

RENowmed Lord, that for your worthine ſſe
And noble deeds haue your deferued place,
High in the fauour of that Empereſſe.
The worlds ſole glory and her ſexes grace,
Here eke of right haue you a worthie place,
Both for your nearnes to that Faerie Quene,
And for your owne high merit in like cace,
Of which, apparaunt proofe was to be ſene,
When that tumultuous rage and fearfull deene
Of Northern rebels ye did pacify,
And their diſloiall powre defaced clene,
The record of enduring memory.
Line Lord for euer in this laſting verſe,
That all posteritie thy honor may reherſe.
E. S.

To the moſt renowned and valiant Lord, the
Lord Grey of Wilton, knight of the Noble order
of the Garter, &c.

MOſt Noble Lord the pillor of my life,
And Patrone of my Mufes pupillage,
Through whole large bountie poured on me rife,
In the firſt ſeason of my feeble age,
I now doe lie, bound yours by vallalage:
Sith nothing euer may redeem, nor reaue
Out of your endleſſe debt so ſure a gage,
Vouchſafe in worth this small guift to receaue,
Which in your noble hands for pledge I leaue,
Of all the reſt, that I am tyde t'account:
Rude rymes, the which a ruſtick Mufe did weaue
In ſauadge ſoyle, far from Parnaflo mount,
And roughly wrought in an vnlearned Loome:
The which vouchſafe dear Lord your fauorable doome

2q 3

To

To the right honourable the Lord of Buckhurst, one
of her Maiesties prinie Counsell.

IN vain I thinke right honourable Lord,
By this rude rime to memorize thy name;
Whose learned Mufe hath writ her owne record,
In golden verſe, worthy immortal fame:

Thou much more fit (were leaſure to the fame)
Thy gracious Souerain prais'des to compile.
And her imperially Maiestie to frame,
In loftie numbers and heroicke ſtyle.

But ſith thou maiſt not ſo, giue leaue a while
To bafeer wit his power therein to ſpend,
Whose groſſe defaults thy daintie pen may file,
And vnaduised ouerſights amend.

But euermore vouchſafe it to maintaine
Againſt vile Zoilus backbitings vaine.

To the right honourable Sir Fr. Walfingham knight,
principal Secretary to her Maiesty, and of her
honourable priuy Counſell.

THat Mantuane Poetes incompared ſpirit,
Whose girland now is let in higheſt place,
Had not Mecenas for his worthy merit,
It firſt aduaunſt to great Auguſtus grace,
Might long perhaps haue lien in ſilence bace,
Ne bene ſo much admit'd of later age.
This lowly Mufe, that learns like ſteps to trace,
Fliss for-like aide vnto your Patronage;

That are the great Mecenas of this age,
As wel to al that ciuil artes proueſſe
As thofe that are inſpird with Martial rage,
And craues protection of her feebleneſſe:
Which if ye yield, perhaps ye may her rayſe
In bigger tunes to found your liuing prayſe.

E. S.

To the right noble Lord and moſt valiaunt Captaine,
Sir Iohn Norris knight, Lord president of Mounſter,

VV Ho euer gaue more honourable prize
To the ſweet Mufe, then did the Martiall crew;
That their braue deeds ſhe might immortalize
In her ſhril tromp, and found their prais'ds dew?

Who then ought more to fauour her, then you
Moſte noble Lord, the honor of this age,
And Precedent of all that armes enſue?
Whofe warlike proueſſe and manly courage,

Tempred with reaſon and aduizement ſage
Hath ſild ſad Belgicke with viſtorious ſpoile,
In Fraunce and Ireland left a famous gage,
And lately ſhakt the Luſitanian ſoile.

Sith then each where thou haſt diſpredd thy fame,
Loue him, that hath eternized your name.

E. S.

To the right noble and valorous knight, Sir Walter Raleigh,
Lo. Wardein of the Stanneryes, and lieſtenaunt
of Cornewaile.

To thee that art the sommers Nightingale,
Thy ſoncraine Goddeſſes moſt deare delight,
Why doe I ſend this ruſticke Maſrigale,
That may thy tuneful eare vnſeafon quite?

Thou onely ſit this Argument to write,
In whose high thoughts Pleaſure hath built her bowre,
And dainty loue learntly to endite.
My rimes I know vnſauory and ſowre,

To taſt the ſtreames, that like a golzen ſhowre
Flow from thy fruitfull head, of thy loues prouſe,
Fitter perhaps to thonder Martiall ſtowre,
When ſo the lift thy lofty Mufe to raiſe:

Tet till that thou thy Poeme wilt make knowne,
Let thy faire Cinthias prais'des bee thus rudely ſhowne.

E. S.

To the right honourable and most vertuous Lady, the Countesse of Pembroke.

REMEMBRAUNCE OF THAT MOST HEROICKE SPIRIT,
THE HEUEN'S PRIDE, THE GLORY OF OUR DAIES,
WHICH NOW TRIUMPHETH THROUGH IMMORTALL MERIT
OF HIS BRAUE VERTUES, CROWD WITH LAFTING BAIES,
OF HEUENLIE BIS AND ENERGIFTING PRAJES;
WHO FIRST MY MUSE DID LIFT OUT OF THE FLORE,
TO FING HIS SWEET DELIGHTS IN LOWLIE LAIES;
BIDS ME MOST NOBLE LADY TO ADORE
HIS GOODLY IMAGE LIVING EUCHMORE,
IN THE DIINE REFEMBRAUNCE OF YOUR FACE;
WHICH WITH YOUR VERTUES YE EMBELLIFTH MORE,
AND NATIVE BEAUTY DECK WITH HEUENLIE GRACE:
FOR HIS, AND FOR YOUR OWNE ESPECIAL FAKE,
VOUCHFASE FROM HIM THIS TOKE IN GOOD WORTH TO TAKE.
E. S.

TO THE MOST VERTUOUS, AND BEAUTIFUL LADY,
THE LADY CAREW.

NEMAY I, WITHOUT BLOT OF ENDLEFLE BLAME,
YOU FAIREST LADY LEAUE OUT OF THIS PLACE,
BUT WITH REMEMBRAUNCE OF YOUR GRACIOUS NAME,
WHERewith THAT COURTLY GARLOND MOST YE GRACE,
AND DECK THE WORLD, ADORNE THESE VERSES BALE:
NOT THAT THESE FEW LINES CAN IN THEM COMPRISF
THOSE GLORIOUS ORNAMENTS OF HEUENLY GRACE,
WHERewith ye triumph ouer feeble eyes,
AND IN SUBDUEd HARTS DO TYRANY
FOR THEREUNTO DO TH need A GOLDEN QUILL,
AND FILUER LEAUES, THEM RIGHTLY TO DEUISE,
BUT TO MAKE HUMBLE PRESENT OF GOOD WILL:
WHICH WHENAS TIMELY MEANES IT PURCHASE MAY,
IN AMPLER WIFE IT SELFE WILL FORTH DISPLAY.
E. S.

TO ALL THE GRATIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL LADIES IN THE COURT.

THE CHIAN PEINSTER, when he was requirde
TO POURTRIET VENUS IN HER PERFECT HAW,
TO MAKE his worke more absolute, defird
OF ALL THE FAIREST MAIDES TO HANE THE VIEW.
MUCH MORE ME NEEDS TO DRAW THE SEMBLANT TREW,
OF BEAUTIES QUEENE, THE WORLD'S SOLE WONDERMENT,
TO SHARPE MY SENCE WITH SUNDRY BEAUTIES VIEW,
AND FEALE FROM EACH SOME PART OF ORNAMENT.
IF ALL THE WORLD TO SEEKE I OUERWENT,
A FAIRER CREW YET NO WHERE COULD I SEE,
THEN THAT BRAUE COURT DOTH TO MINE EIE PRESENT,
THAT THE WORLD'S PRIDE SEEMES GATHERED THERE TO BEE.
OF EACH A PART I STOLE BY CUNNING THEFTE:
FORGIE IT ME FAIRE DAMES, SITH LEFSE YE HANE NOT LEFTE.
FINIS. E. S.

606

Faults escaped in the Print.

Glorious glorious Page 3. Hardy dele Page 6. ebbe t'auale spring to
auale 9. every cuer 14. sighes fights 15. steps stead 19. stands fen-
celeſſe ſtand ſenceleſſe 23. cruelties cruell ſpies 24. that mounted y
mounted 27. tuefull ruefull 28. Then thens 30. Then Thens 30.
brighten brightnes 32. The that 43. care cafe 46. courſe corſe 51.
pelpe pelf 52. first ſiſte 54. of new of my new 50. hurls hurd 60.
letleke 70. cliffs cliffs 71. fire fire ibid. renowned renowned 72.
the that 74. it in 75. ſwifte and cruell fiers and fell 85. ſteeld ſteele 98.
ſeene ſeeme 99. chanſt chauſt 100. come ronne 101. hand hands 102.
that the 104. wift wift 106. murmuring murmur ring 107. ſie ſye
116. hands bands 119. that the 121. Cleons Timons ibid. at on
122. this his 124. cliffs cliffs 129. life imited life is limited 130. be
her 139. piteous pretious 150. fame frame 151. it at 155. this his
156. feared ſeared ib. all as 158. it one 163. talents talants 170.
vintayne contayne 175. ſtayd ſtrayd 180. to t'ibid' faine vaine ibid.
wo who ibid. Amarons Amazon 186. theſe thrife 196. place to place
206. make makes 213. First Faſt 215. ronght raught 219. vnto
greatly 224. did were 226. no not 234. tongue tonge 235. Pyrrho-
cles Pyrochles 243. embayling emboyling 250. Netmus Nemus 254.
man, ſaw man ſaw, 270. Hammon Mammon 280. the that 283. the
th' 287. fame his cruell 297. pagons Pagans 299. doubly double 300.
empieſte empierſt 303. Horrow harrow ibid. with bowing bowing
306. incedent indecent 307. crowd crowned 312. lenger a time len-
ger time 313. Dyapſe diapſe 313. laſtery Caſtory 318. welis well
is 322. whom who 326. and thy great and great ibid. gold old ibid.
Seuith Seuith 332. her their ibid. Britom Britayne 356. reuiue ſur-
uiue ibid. his this 359. this that 362. did doe 363. weiting way-
ting 364. Materaſtaes Malecaſtaes 391. ſhard mard 399. Not nor
422. Then Them 424. from the earth from of the earth 438. ſhee Hee
447. made VVade 466. ſhee hee ſtuned ſtund 500. were nere ibid.
right right hand 502. ſuccour ſuccour 588. He ſhe ibid. him her ibid.