THE FIRST
BOOKE OF THE
FAERIE QVEENE.
Contayning
THE LEGENDE OF THE
KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSSE,
OR
OF HOLINESSE.
Lo I the man, whose Muse whilome did maske,
As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds,
Am now enforst a far vnfitter taske,
For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds,
And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds;
Whose prayses hauing slept in silence long,
Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areeds
To blazon broad emongst her learned throng:
Fierce warres and faithfull loues shall moralize my song.
Helpe then, holy Virgin chiefe of nine,
Thy weaker Nouice to performe thy will,
Lay forth out of thine euerlasting scryne
The antique rolles, which there lye hidden still,
Of Faerie knights and fairest Tanaquill,
Whom that most noble Briton Prince so long
Sought through the world, and suffered so much ill,
That I must rue his vndeserued wrong:
O helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong.
And thou most dreaded impe ofhighest Ioue,
Faire Venus sonne, that with thy cruell dart
At that good knight so cunningly didst roue,
That glorious fire it kindled in his hart,
Lay now thy deadly Heben bow apart,
And with thy mother milde come to mine ayde:
Come both, and with you bring triumphant Mart,
In loues and gentle iollities arrayd,
After his murdrous spoiles and bloudy rage allayd.
And with them eke, O Goddesse heauenly bright,
Mirrour of grace and Maiestie diuine,
Great Lady of the greatest Isle, whose light
Like Phoebus lampe throughout the world doth shine,
Shed thy faire beames into my feeble eyne,
And raise my thoughts too humble and too vile,
To thinke of that true glorious type of thine,
The argument of mine afflicted stile:
The which to heare, vouchsafe, O dearest dred a-while.
The Patron of true Holinesse,
Foule Errour doth defeate:
Hypocrisie him to entrappe,
Doth to his home entreate.
Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine,
Y cladd in mightie armes and siluer shielde,
Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine,
The cruell markes of many' a bloudy fielde;
Yet armes till that time did he neuer wield:
His angry steede did chide his foming bitt,
As much disdayning to the curbe to yield:
Full iolly knight he seemd, and faire did sitt,
As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt.
But on his brest a bloudieCrosse he bore,
The deare remembrance of his dying Lord,
For whose sweete sake that glorious badge he wore,
And dead as liuing euer him ador'd:
Vpon his shield the like was also scor'd,
For soueraine hope, which in his helpe he had:
Right faithfull true he was in deede and word,
But of his cheere did seeme too solemne sad;
Yet nothing did he dread, but euer was ydrad.
Vpon a great aduenture he wasbond,
That greatest Gloriana to him gaue,
That greatest Glorious Queene of Faerie lond,
To winne him worship, and her grace to haue,
Which of all earthly things he most did craue;
And euer as he rode, his hart did earne
To proue his puissance in battell braue
Vpon his foe, and his new force to learne;
Vpon his foe, a Dragon horrible and stearne.
A louely Ladie rode him fairebeside,
Vpon a lowly Asse more white then snow,
Yet she much whiter, but the same did hide
Vnder a vele, that wimpled was full low,
And ouer all a blacke stole she did throw,
As one that inly mournd: so was she sad,
And heauie sat vpon her palfrey slow:
Seemed in heart some hidden care she had,
And by her in a line a milke white lambe she lad.
So pure and innocent, as thatsame lambe,
She was in life and euery vertuous lore,
And by descent from Royall lynage came
Of ancient Kings and Queenes, that had of yore
Their scepters stretcht from East to Westerne shore,
And all the world in their subiection held;
Till that infernall feend with foule vprore
Forwasted all their land, and them expeld:
Whom to auenge, she had this Knight from far co[m]peld.
Behind her farre away a Dwarfedid lag,
That lasie seemd in being euer last,
Or wearied with bearing of her bag
Of needments at his backe. Thus as they past,
The day with cloudes was suddeine ouercast,
And angry Ioue an hideous storme of raine
Did poure into his Lemans lap so fast,
That euery wight to shrowd it did constrain,
And this faire couple eke to shroud the[m]selues were fain.
Enforst to seeke some couertnigh at hand,
A shadie groue not far away they spide,
That promist ayde the tempest to withstand:
Whose loftie trees yclad with sommers pride,
Did spred so broad, that heauens light did hide,
Not perceable with power of any starre:
And all within were pathes and alleies wide,
With footing worne, and leading inward farre:
Faire harbour that them seemes; so in they entred arre.
And foorth they passe, withpleasure forward led,
Ioying to heare the birdes sweete harmony,
Which therein shrouded from the tempest dred,
Seemd in their song to scorne the cruell sky.
Much can they prayse the trees so straight and hy,
The sayling Pine, the Cedar proud and tall,
The vine-prop Elme, the Poplar neuer dry,
The builder Oake, sole king of forrests all,
The Aspine good for staues, the Cypresse funerall.
The Laurell, meed of mightieConquerours
And Poets sage, the Firre that weepeth still,
The Willow worne of forlorne Paramours,
The Eugh obedient to the benders will,
The Birch for shaftes, the Sallow for the mill,
The Mirrhe sweete bleeding in the bitter wound,
The warlike Beech, the Ash for nothing ill,
The fruitfull Oliue, and the Platane round,
The caruer Holme, the Maple seeldom inward sound.
Led with delight, they thusbeguile the way,
Vntill the blustring storme is ouerblowne;
When weening to returne, whence they did stray,
They cannot finde that path, which first was showne,
But wander too and fro in wayes vnknowne,
Furthest from end then, when they neerest weene,
That makes them doubt, their wits be not their owne:
So many pathes, so many turnings seene,
That which of them to take, in diuerse doubt they been.
At last resoluing forwardstill to fare,
Till that some end they finde or in or out,
That path they take, that beaten seemd most bare,
And like to lead the labyrinth about;
Which when by tract they hunted had throughout,
At length it brought them to a hollow caue,
Amid the thickest woods. The Champion stout
Eftsoones dismounted from his courser braue,
And to the Dwarfe a while his needlesse spere he gaue.
Be well aware, quoth then thatLadie milde,
Least suddaine mischiefe ye too rash prouoke:
The danger hid, the place vnknowne and wilde,
Breedes dreadfull doubts: Oft fire is without smoke,
And perill without show: therefore your stroke
Sir knight with-hold, till further triall made.
Ah Ladie (said he) shame were to reuoke
The forward footing for an hidden shade:
Vertue giues her selfe light, through darkenesse for to wade.
Yea but (quoth she) the perillof this place
I better wot then you, though now too late
To wish you backe returne with foule disgrace,
Yet wisedome warnes, whilest foot is in the gate,
To stay the steppe, ere forced to retrate.
This is the wandring wood, this Errours den,
A monster vile, whom God and man does hate:
Therefore I read beware. Fly fly (quoth then
The fearefull Dwarfe:) this is no place for liuing men.
But full of fire and greedyhardiment,
The youthfull knight could not for ought be staide,
But forth vnto the darksome hole he went,
And looked in: his glistring armor made
A litle glooming light, much like a shade,
By which he saw the vgly monster plaine,
Halfe like a serpent horribly displaide,
But th'other halfe did womans shape retaine,
Most lothsom, filthie, foule, and full of vile disdaine.
And as she lay vpon the durtieground,
Her huge long taile her den all ouerspred,
Yet was in knots and many boughtes vpwound,
Pointed with mortall sting. Of her there bred
A thousand yong ones, which she dayly fed,
Sucking vpon her poisonous dugs, each one
Of sundry shapes, yet all ill fauored:
Soone as that vncouth light vpon them shone,
Into her mouth they crept, and suddain all were gone.
Their dam vpstart, out of herden effraide,
And rushed forth, hurling her hideous taile
About her cursed head, whose folds displaid
Were stretcht now forth at length without entraile.
She lookt about, and seeing one in mayle
Armed to point, sought backe to turne againe;
For light she hated as the deadly bale,
Ay wont in desert darknesse to remaine,
Where plaine none might her see, nor she see any plaine.
Which when the valiant Elfeperceiu'd, he lept
As Lyon fierce vpon the flying pray,
And with his trenchand blade her boldly kept
From turning backe, and forced her to stay:
Therewith enrag'd she loudly gan to bray,
And turning fierce, her speckled taile aduaunst,
Threatning her angry sting, him to dismay:
Who nought aghast, his mightie hand enhaunst:
The stroke down fro[m]; her head vnto her shoulder glaunst.
Much daunted with that dint,her sence was dazd,
Yet kindling rage, her selfe she gathered round,
And all attonce her beastly body raizd
With doubled forces high aboue the ground:
Tho wrapping vp her wrethed sterne arownd,
Lept fierce vpon his shield, and her huge traine
All suddenly about his body wound,
That hand or foot to stirre he stroue in vaine:
God helpe the man so wrapt in Errours endlesse traine.
His Lady sad to see his soreconstraint,
Cride out, Now now Sir knight, shew what ye bee,
Add faith vnto your force, and be not faint:
Strangle her, else she sure will strangle thee.
That when he heard, in great perplexitie,
His gall did grate for griefe and high disdaine,
And knitting all his force got one hand free,
Wherewith he grypt her gorge with so great paine,
That soone to loose her wicked bands did her constraine.
Therewith she spewd out of herfilthy maw
A floud of poyson horrible and blacke,
Full of great lumpes of flesh and gobbets raw,
Which stunck so vildly, that it forst him slacke
His grasping hold, and from her turne him backe:
Her vomit full of bookes and papers was,
With loathly frogs and toades, which eyes did lacke,
And creeping sought way in the weedy gras:
Her filthy parbreake all the place defiled has.
As when old father Nilusgins to swell
With timely pride aboue the Aegyptian vale,
His fattie waues do fertile slime outwell,
And ouerflow each plaine and lowly dale:
But when his later spring gins to auale,
Huge heapes of mudd he leaues, wherein there breed
Ten thousand kindes of creatures, partly male
And partly female of his fruitfull seed;
Such vgly monstrous shapes elswhere may no man reed.
The same so sore annoyed hasthe knight,
That welnigh choked with the deadly stinke,
His forces faile, ne can no longer fight.
Whose corage when the feend perceiu'd to shrinke,
She poured forth out of her hellish sinke
Her fruitfull cursed spawne of serpents small,
Deformed monsters, fowle, and blacke as inke,
Which swarming all about his legs did crall,
And him encombred sore, but could not hurt at all.
As gentle Shepheard in sweeteeuen-tide,
When ruddy Phoebus gins to welke in west,
High on an hill, his flocke to vewen wide,
Markes which do byte their hasty supper best;
A cloud of combrous gnattes do him molest,
All striuing to infixe their feeble stings,
That from their noyance he no where can rest,
But with his clownish hands their tender wings
He brusheth oft, and oft doth mar their murmurings.
Thus ill bestedd, and fearefull more of shame,
Then of the certaine perill he stood in,
Halfe furious vnto his foe he came,
Resolv'd in minde all suddenly to win,
Or soone to lose, before he once would lin;
And strooke at her with more then manly force,
That from her body full of filthie sin
He raft her hatefull head without remorse;
A streame of cole black bloud forth gushed fro[m]; her corse.
Her scattred brood, soone astheir Parent deare
They saw so rudely falling to the ground,
Groning full deadly, all with troublous feare,
Gathred themselues about her body round,
Weening their wonted entrance to haue found
At her wide mouth: but being there withstood
They flocked all about her bleeding wound,
And sucked vp their dying mothers blood,
Making her death their life, and eke her hurt their good.
That detestable sight him muchamazde,
To see th'vnkindly Impes of heauen accurst,
Deuoure their dam; on whom while so he gazd,
Hauing all satisfide their bloudy thurst,
Their bellies swolne he saw with fulnesse burst,
And bowels gushing forth: well worthy end
Of such as drunke her life, the which them nurst;
Now needeth him no lenger labour spend,
His foes haue slaine themselues, with whom he should contend.
His Ladie seeing all, thatchaunst, from farre
Approcht in hast to greet his victorie,
And said, Faire knight, borne vnder happy starre,
Who see your vanquisht foes before you lye:
Well worthy be you of that Armorie,
Wherein ye haue great glory wonne this day,
And proou'd your strength on a strong enimie,
Your first aduenture: many such I pray,
And henceforth euer wish, that like succeed it may.
Then mounted he vpon hisSteede againe,
And with the Lady backward sought to wend;
That path he kept, which beaten was most plaine,
Ne euer would to any by-way bend,
But still did follow one vnto the end,
The which at last out of the wood them brought.
So forward on his way (with God to frend)
He passed forth, and new aduenture sought;
Long way he trauelled, before he heard of ought.
At length they chaunst to meetvpon the way
An aged Sire, in long blacke weedes yclad,
His feete all bare, his beard all hoarie gray,
And by his belt his booke he hanging had;
Sober he seemde, and very sagely sad,
And to the ground his eyes were lowly bent,
Simple in shew, and voyde of malice bad,
And all the way he prayed, as he went,
And often knockt his brest, as one that did repent.
He faire the knight saluted,louting low,
Who faire him quited, as that courteous was:
And after asked him, if he did know
Of straunge aduentures, which abroad did pas.
Ah my deare Sonne (quoth he) how should, alas,
Silly old man, that liues in hidden cell,
Bidding his beades all day for his trespas,
Tydings of warre and worldly trouble tell?
With holy father sits not with such things to mell.
But if of daunger which herebydoth dwell,
And homebred euill ye desire to heare,
Of a straunge man I can you tidings tell,
That wasteth all this countrey farre and neare.
Of such (said he) I chiefly do inquere,
And shall you well reward to shew the place,
In which that wicked wight his dayes doth weare:
For to all knighthood it is foule disgrace,
That such a cursed creature liues so long a space.
Far hence (quoth he) inwastfull wildernesse
His dwelling is, by which no liuing wight
May euer passe, but thorough great distresse.
Now (sayd the Lady) draweth toward night,
And well I wote, that of your later fight
Ye all forwearied be: for what so strong,
But wanting rest will also want of might?
The Sunne that measures heauen all day long,
At night doth baite his steedes the Ocean waues emong.
Then with the Sunne take Sir,your timely rest,
And with new day new worke at once begin:
Vntroubled night they say giues counsell best.
Right well Sir knight ye haue aduised bin,
(Quoth then that aged man;) the way to win
Is wisely to aduise: now day is spent;
Therefore with me ye may take vp your In
For this same night. The knight was well content:
So with that godly father to his home they went.
A little lowly Hermitage itwas,
Downe in a dale, hard by a forests side,
Far from resort of people, that did pas
In trauell to and froe: a little wyde
There was an holy Chappell edifyde,
Wherein the Hermite dewly wont to say
His holy things each morne and euentyde:
Thereby a Christall streame did gently play,
Which from a sacred fountaine welled forth alway.
Arriued there, the littlehouse they fill,
Ne looke for entertainement, where none was:
Rest is their feast, and all things at their will;
The noblest mind the best contentment has.
With faire discourse the euening so they pas:
For that old man of pleasing wordes had store,
And well could file his tongue as smooth as glas;
He told of Saintes and Popes, and euermore
He strowd an Aue-Mary after and before.
The drouping Night thuscreepeth on them fast,
And the sad humour loading their eye liddes,
As messenger of Morpheus on them cast
Sweet slo[m]bring deaw, the which to sleepe them biddes.
Vnto their lodgings then his guestes he riddes:
Where when all drownd in deadly sleepe he findes,
He to his study goes, and there amiddes
His Magick bookes and artes of sundry kindes,
He seekes out mighty charmes, to trouble sleepy mindes
Then choosing out few wordesmost horrible,
(Let none them read) thereof did verses frame,
With which and other spelles like terrible,
He bad awake blacke Plutoes griesly Dame,
And cursed heauen, and spake reprochfull shame
Of highest God, the Lord of life and light;
A bold bad man, that dar'd to call by name
Great Gorgon, Prince of darknesse and dead night,
At which Cocytus quakes, and Styx is put to flight.
And forth he cald out of deepedarknesse dred
Legions of Sprights, the which like little flyes
Fluttring about his euer damned hed,
A-waite whereto their seruice he applyes,
To aide his friends, or fray his enimies:
Of those he chose out two, the falsest twoo,
And fittest for to forge true-seeming lyes;
The one of them he gaue a message too,
The other by him selfe staide other worke to doo.
He making speedy way throughspersed ayre,
And through the world of waters wide and deepe,
To Morpheus house doth hastily repaire.
Amid the bowels of the earth full steepe,
And low, where dawning day doth neuer peepe,
His dwelling is; there Tethys his wet bed
Doth euer wash, and Cynthia still doth steepe
In siluer deaw his euer-drouping hed,
Whiles sad Night ouer him her ma[n]tle black doth spred
Whose double gates he findethlocked fast,
The one faire fram'd of burnisht Yuory,
The other all with siluer ouercast;
And wakefull dogges before them farre do lye,
Watching to banish Care their enimy,
Who oft is wont to trouble gentle Sleepe.
By them the Sprite doth passe in quietly,
And vnto Morpheus comes, whom drowned deepe
In drowsie fit he findes: of nothing he takes keepe.
And more, to lulle him in hisslumber soft,
A trickling streame from high rocke tumbling downe
And euer-drizling raine vpon the loft,
Mixt with a murmuring winde, much like the sowne
Of swarming Bees, did cast him in a swowne:
No other noyse, nor peoples troublous cryes,
As still are wont t'annoy the walled towne,
Might there be heard: but carelesse Quiet lyes,
Wrapt in eternall silence farre from enemyes.
The messenger approching tohim spake,
But his wast wordes returnd to him in vaine:
So sound he slept, that nought mought him awake.
Then rudely he him thrust, and pusht with paine,
Whereat he gan to stretch: but he againe
Shooke him so hard, that forced him to speake.
As one then in a dreame, whose dryer braine
Is tost with troubled sights and fancies weake,
He mumbled soft, but would not all his silence breake.
The Sprite then gan moreboldly him to wake,
And threatned vnto him the dreaded name
Of Hecate: whereat he gan to quake,
And lifting vp his lompish head, with blame
Halfe angry asked him, for what he came.
Hither (quoth he) me Archimago sent,
He that the stubborne Sprites can wisely tame,
He bids thee to him send for his intent
A fit false dreame, that can delude the sleepers sent.
The God obayde, and callingforth straight way
A diuerse dreame out of his prison darke,
Deliuered it to him, and downe did lay
His heauie head, deuoide of carefull carke,
Whose sences all were straight benumbd and starke.
He backe returning by the Yuorie dore,
Remounted vp as light as chearefull Larke,
And on his litle winges the dreame he bore
In hast vnto his Lord, where he him left afore.
Who all this while withcharmes and hidden artes,
Had made a Lady of that other Spright,
And fram'd of liquid ayre her tender partes
So liuely, and so like in all mens sight,
That weaker sence it could haue rauisht quight:
The maker selfe for all his wondrous witt,
Was nigh beguiled with so goodly sight:
Her all in white he clad, and ouer it
Cast a blacke stole, most like to seeme for Vna fit.
Now when that ydle dreame wasto him brought,
Vnto that Elfin knight he bad him fly,
Where he slept soundly void of euill thought,
And with false shewes abuse his fantasy,
In sort as he him schooled priuily:
And that new creature borne without her dew,
Full of the makers guile, with vsage sly
He taught to imitate that Lady trew,
Whose semblance she did carrie vnder feigned hew.
Thus well instructed, to theirworke they hast,
And comming where the knight in slomber lay,
The one vpon his hardy head him plast,
And made him dreame of loues and lustfull play,
That nigh his manly hart did melt away,
Bathed in wanton blis and wicked ioy:
Then seemed him his Lady by him lay,
And to him playnd, how that false winged boy,
Her chast hart had subdewd, to learne Dame pleasures toy.
And she her selfe of beautiesoueraigne Queene,
Faire Venus seemde vnto his bed to bring
Her, whom he waking euermore did weene,
To be the chastest flowre, that ay did spring
On earthly braunch, the daughter of a king,
Now a loose Leman to vile seruice bound:
And eke the Graces seemed all to sing,
Hymen i™ Hymen, dauncing all around,
Whilst freshest Flora her with Yuie girlond crownd.
In this great passion ofvnwonted lust,
Or wonted feare of doing ought amis,
He started vp, as seeming to mistrust,
Some secret ill, or hidden foe of his:
Lo there before his face his Lady is,
Vnder blake stole hyding her bayted hooke,
And as halfe blushing offred him to kis,
With gentle blandishment and louely looke,
Most like that virgin true, which for her knight him took.
All cleane dismayd to see sovncouth sight,
And halfe enraged at her shamelesse guise,
He thought haue slaine her in his fierce despight:
But hasty heat tempring with sufferance wise,
He stayde his hand, and gan himselfe aduise
To proue his sense, and tempt her faigned truth.
Wringing her hands in wemens pitteous wise,
Tho can she weepe, to stirre vp gentle ruth,
Both for her noble bloud, and for her tender youth.
And said, Ah Sir, my liegeLord and my loue,
Shall I accuse the hidden cruell fate,
And mightie causes wrought in heauen aboue,
Or the blind God, that doth me thus amate,
For hoped loue to winne me certaine hate?
Yet thus perforce he bids me do, or die.
Die is my dew: yet rew my wretched state
You, whom my hard auenging destinie
Hath made iudge of my life or death indifferently.
Your owne deare sake forst meat first to leaue
My Fathers kingdome,--There she stopt with teares;
Her swollen hart her speach seemd to bereaue,
And then againe begun, My weaker yeares
Captiu'd to fortune and frayle worldly feares,
Fly to your faith for succour and sure ayde:
Let me not dye in languor and long teares.
Why Dame (quoth he) what hath ye thus dismayd?
What frayes ye, that were wont to comfort me affrayd?
Loue of your selfe, she said,and deare constraint
Lets me not sleepe, but wast the wearie night
In secret anguish and vnpittied plaint,
Whiles you in carelesse sleepe are drowned quight.
Her doubtfull words made that redoubted knight
Suspect her truth: yet since no' vntruth he knew,
Her fawning loue with foule disdainefull spight
He would not shend, but said, Deare dame I rew,
That for my sake vnknowne such griefe vnto you grew.
Assure your selfe, it fell notall to ground;
For all so deare as life is to my hart,
I deeme your loue, and hold me to you bound;
Ne let vaine feares procure your needlesse smart,
Where cause is none, but to your rest depart.
Not all content, yet seemd she to appease
Her mournefull plaintes, beguiled of her art,
And fed with words, that could not chuse but please,
So slyding softly forth, she turnd as to her ease.
Long after lay he musing ather mood,
Much grieu'd to thinke that gentle Dame so light,
For whose defence he was to shed his blood.
At last dull wearinesse of former fight
Hauing yrockt a sleepe his irkesome spright,
That troublous dreame gan freshly tosse his braine,
With bowres, and beds, and Ladies deare delight:
But when he saw his labour all was vaine,
With that misformed spright he backe returnd againe.
The guilefull great Enchaunter parts
The Redcrosse Knight from Truth:
Into whose stead faire falshood steps,
And workes him wofull ruth. By this the Northerne wagoner had set
His seuenfold teme behind the stedfast starre,
That was in Ocean waues yet neuer wet,
But firme is fixt, and sendeth light from farre
To all, that in the wide deepe wandring arre:
And chearefull Chaunticlere with his note shrill
Had warned once, that Phoebus fiery carre
In hast was climbing vp the Easterne hill,
Full enuious that night so long his roome did fill. When those accursed messengersof hell,
That feigning dreame, and that faire-forged Spright
Came to their wicked maister, and gan tell
Their bootelesse paines, and ill succeeding night:
Who all in rage to see his skilfull might
Deluded so, gan threaten hellish paine
And sad Proserpines wrath, them to affright.
But when he saw his threatning was but vaine,
He cast about, and searcht his balefull bookes againe.
Eftsoones he tooke thatmiscreated faire,
And that false other Spright, on whom he spred
A seeming body of the subtile aire,
Like a young Squire, in loues and lusty-hed
His wanton dayes that euer loosely led,
Without regard of armes and dreaded fight:
Those two he tooke, and in a secret bed,
Couered with darknesse and misdeeming night,
Them both together laid, to ioy in vaine delight.
Forthwith he runnes withfeigned faithfull hast
Vnto his guest, who after troublous sights
And dreames, gan now to take more sound repast,
Whom suddenly he wakes with fearefull frights,
As one aghast with feends or damned sprights,
And to him cals, Rise rise vnhappy Swaine,
That here wex old in sleepe, whiles wicked wights
Haue knit themselues in Venus shamefull chaine;
Come see, where your false Lady doth her honour staine.
All in amaze he suddenly vpstart
With sword in hand, and with the old man went;
Who soone him brought into a secret part,
Where that false couple were full closely ment
In wanton lust and lewd embracement:
Which when he saw, he burnt with gealous fire,
The eye of reason was with rage yblent,
And would haue slaine them in his furious ire,
But hardly was restreined of that aged sire.
Returning to his bed intorment great,
And bitter anguish of his guiltie sight,
He could not rest, but did his stout heart eat,
And wast his inward gall with deepe despight,
Yrkesome of life, and too long lingring night.
At last faire Hesperus in highest skie
Had spent his lampe, and brought forth dawning light,
Then vp he rose, and clad him hastily;
The Dwarfe him brought his steed: so both away do fly.
Now when the rosy-fingredMorning faire,
Weary of aged Tithones saffron bed,
Had spred her purple robe through deawy aire,
And the high hils Titan discouered,
The royall virgin shooke off drowsy-hed,
And rising forth out of her baser bowre,
Lookt for her knight, who far away was fled,
And for her Dwarfe, that wont to wait each houre;
Then gan she waile and weepe, to see that woefull stowre.
And after him she rode with somuch speede
As her slow beast could make; but all in vaine:
For him so far had borne his light-foot steede,
Pricked with wrath and fiery fierce disdaine,
That him to follow was but fruitlesse paine;
Yet she her weary limbes would neuer rest,
But euery hill and dale, each wood and plaine
Did search, sore grieued in her gentle brest,
He so vngently left her, whom she loued best.
But subtill Archimago,when his guests
He saw diuided into double parts,
And Vna wandring in woods and forrests,
Th'end of his drift, he praisd his diuelish arts,
That had such might ouer true meaning harts;
Yet rests not so, but other meanes doth make,
How he may worke vnto her further smarts:
For her he hated as the hissing snake,
And in her many troubles did most pleasure take.
He then deuisde himselfe howto disguise;
For by his mightie science he could take
As many formes and shapes in seeming wise,
As euer Proteus to himselfe could make:
Sometime a fowle, sometime a fish in lake,
Now like a foxe, now like a dragon fell,
That of himselfe he oft for feare would quake,
And oft would flie away. O who can tell
The hidden power of herbes, and might of Magicke spell?
But now seemde best, theperson to put on
Of that good knight, his late beguiled guest:
In mighty armes he was yclad anon,
And siluer shield vpon his coward brest
A bloudy crosse, and on his crauen crest
A bounch of haires discolourd diuersly:
Full iolly knight he seemde, and well addrest,
And when he sate vpon his courser free,
Saint George himself ye would haue deemed him to be.
But he the knight, whosesemblaunt he did beare,
The true Saint George was wandred far away,
Still flying from his thoughts and gealous feare;
Will was his guide, and griefe led him astray.
At last him chaunst to meete vpon the way
A faithlesse Sarazin all arm'd to point,
In whose great shield was writ with letters gay
Sans foy: full large of limbe and euery ioint
He was, and cared not for God or man a point.
He had a faire companion ofhis way,
A goodly Lady clad in scarlot red,
Purfled with gold and pearle of rich assay,
And like a Persian mitre on her hed
She wore, with crownes and owches garnished,
The which her lauish louers to her gaue;
Her wanton palfrey all was ouerspred
With tinsell trappings, wouen like a waue,
Whose bridle rung with golden bels and bosses braue.
With faire disport andcourting dalliaunce
She intertainde her louer all the way:
But when she saw the knight his speare aduaunce,
She soone left off her mirth and wanton play,
And bad her knight addresse him to the fray:
His foe was nigh at hand. He prickt with pride
And hope to winne his Ladies heart that day,
Forth spurred fast: adowne his coursers side
The red bloud trickling staind the way, as he did ride.
The knight of the Redcrossewhen him he spide,
Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous,
Gan fairely couch his speare, and towards ride:
Soone meete they both, both fell and furious,
That daunted with their forces hideous,
Their steeds do stagger, and amazed stand,
And eke themselues too rudely rigorous,
Astonied with the stroke of their owne hand,
Do backe rebut, and each to other yeeldeth land.
As when two rams stird withambitious pride,
Fight for the rule of the rich fleeced flocke,
Their horned fronts so fierce on either side
Do meete, that with the terrour of the shocke
Astonied both, stand sencelesse as a blocke,
Forgetfull of the hanging victory:
So stood these twaine, vnmoued as a rocke,
Both staring fierce, and holding idely
The broken reliques of their former cruelty.
The Sarazin soredaunted with the buffe
Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies;
Who well it wards, and quyteth cuff with cuff:
Each others equall puissaunce enuies,
And through their iron sides with cruell spies
Does seeke to perce: repining courage yields
No foote to foe. The flashing fier flies
As from a forge out of their burning shields,
And streames of purple bloud new dies the verdant fields.
Curse on that Crosse (quoththen the Sarazin)
That keepes thy body from the bitter fit;
Dead long ygoe I wote thou haddest bin,
Had not that charme from thee forwarned it:
But yet I warne thee now assured sitt,
And hide thy head. Therewith vpon his crest
With rigour so outrageous he smitt,
That a large share it hewd out of the rest,
And glauncing downe his shield, from blame him fairely blest.
Who thereat wondrous wroth,the sleeping spark
Of natiue vertue gan eftsoones reuiue,
And at his haughtie helmet making mark,
So hugely stroke, that it the steele did riue,
And cleft his head. He tumbling downe aliue,
With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis,
Greeting his graue: his grudging ghost did striue
With the fraile flesh; at last it flitted is,
Whither the soules do fly of men, that liue amis.
The Lady when she saw herchampion fall,
Like the old ruines of a broken towre,
Staid not to waile his woefull funerall,
But from him fled away with all her powre;
Who after her as hastily gan scowre,
Bidding the Dwarfe with him to bring away
The Sarazins shield, signe of the conqueroure.
Her soone he ouertooke, and bad to stay,
For present cause was none of dread her to dismay.
She turning backe with ruefullcountenaunce,
Cride, Mercy mercy Sir vouchsafe to show
On silly Dame, subiect to hard mischaunce,
And to your mighty will. Her humblesse low
In so ritch weedes and seeming glorious show,
Did much emmoue his stout hero¬icke heart,
And said, Deare dame, your suddein ouerthrow
Much rueth me; but now put feare apart,
And tell, both who ye be, and who that tooke your part.
Melting in teares, then ganshe thus lament;
The wretched woman, whom vnhappy howre
Hath now made thrall to your commandement,
Before that angry heauens list to lowre,
And fortune false betraide me to your powre,
Was, (O what now auaileth that I was!)
Borne the sole daughter of an Emperour,
He that the wide West vnder his rule has,
And high hath set his throne, where Tiberis doth pas.
He in the first flowre of myfreshest age,
Betrothed me vnto the onely haire
Of a most mighty king, most rich and sage;
Was neuer Prince so faithfull and so faire,
Was neuer Prince so meeke and debonaire;
But ere my hoped day of spousall shone,
My dearest Lord fell from high honours staire,
Into the hands of his accursed fone,
And cruelly was slaine, that shall I euer mone.
His blessed body spoild ofliuely breath,
Was afterward, I know not how, conuaid
And fro me hid: of whose most innocent death
When tidings came to me vnhappy maid,
O how great sorrow my sad soule assaid.
Then forth I went his woefull corse to find,
And many yeares throughout the world I straid,
A virgin widow, whose deepe wounded mind
With loue, long time did languish as the striken hind.
At last it chaunced this proud Sarazin
To meete me wandring, who perforce me led
With him away, but yet could neuer win
The Fort, that Ladies hold in soueraigne dread.
There lies he now with foule dishonour dead,
Who whiles he liu'de, was called proud Sans foy,
The eldest of three brethren, all three bred
Of one bad sire, whose youngest is Sans ioy,
And twixt them both was borne the bloudy bold Sans loy.
In this sad plight,friendlesse, vnfortunate,
Now miserable I Fidessa dwell,
Crauing of you in pitty of my state,
To do none ill, if please ye not do well.
He in great passion all this while did dwell,
More busying his quicke eyes, her face to view,
Then his dull eares, to heare what she did tell;
And said, Faire Lady hart of flint would rew
The vndeserued woes and sorrowes, which ye shew.
Henceforth in safe assurauncemay ye rest,
Hauing both found a new friend you to aid,
And lost an old foe, that did you molest:
Better new friend then an old foe is said.
With chaunge of cheare the seeming simple maid
Let fall her eyen, as shamefast to the earth,
And yeelding soft, in that she nought gain-said,
So forth they rode, he feining seemely merth,
And she coy lookes: so dainty they say maketh derth.
Long time they thus togethertraueiled,
Till weary of their way, they came at last,
Where grew two goodly trees, that faire did spred
Their armes abroad, with gray mosse ouercast,
And their greene leaues trembling with euery blast,
Made a calme shadow far in compasse round:
The fearefull Shepheard often there aghast
Vnder them neuer sat, ne wont there sound
His mery oaten pipe, but shund th'vnlucky ground.
But this good knight soone ashe them can spie,
For the coole shade him thither hastly got:
For golden Phoebus now ymounted hie,
From fiery wheeles of his faire chariot
Hurled his beame so scorching cruell hot,
That liuing creature mote it not abide;
And his new Lady it endured not.
There they alight, in hope themselues to hide
From the fierce heat, and rest their weary limbs a tide.
Faire seemely pleasaunce eachto other makes,
With goodly purposes there as they sit:
And in his falsed fancy he her takes
To be the fairest wight, that liued yit;
Which to expresse, he bends his gentle wit,
And thinking of those braunches greene to frame
A girlond for her dainty forehead fit,
He pluckt a bough; out of whose rift there came
Small drops of gory bloud, that trickled downe the same.
Therewith a piteous yellingvoyce was heard,
Crying, O spare with guilty hands to teare
My tender sides in this rough rynd embard,
But fly, ah fly far hence away, for feare
Least to you hap, that happened to me heare,
And to this wretched Lady, my deare loue,
O too deare loue, loue bought with death too deare.
Astond he stood, and vp his haire did houe,
And with that suddein horror could no member moue.
At last whenas the dreadfullpassion
Was ouerpast, and manhood well awake,
Yet musing at the straunge occasion,
And doubting much his sence, he thus bespake;
What voyce of damned Ghost from Limbo lake,
Or guilefull spright wandring in empty aire,
Both which fraile men do oftentimes mistake,
Sends to my doubtfull eares these speaches rare,
And ruefull plaints, me bidding guiltlesse bloud to spare?
Then groning deepe, Nor damnedGhost, (quoth he,)
Nor guilefull sprite, to thee these wordes doth speake,
But once a man Fradubio, now a tree,
Wretched man, wretched tree; whose nature weake,
A cruell witch her cursed will to wreake,
Hath thus transformd, and plast in open plaines,
Where Boreas doth blow full bitter bleake,
And scorching Sunne does dry my secret vaines:
For though a tree I seeme, yet cold and heat me paines.
Say on Fradubio then,or man, or tree,
Quoth then the knight, by whose mischieuous arts
Art thou misshaped thus, as now I see?
He oft finds med'cine, who his griefe imparts;
But double griefs afflict concealing harts,
As raging flames who striueth to suppresse.
The author then (said he) of all my smarts,
Is one Duessa a false sorceresse,
That many erra[n]t knights hath brought to wretchednesse.
In prime of youthly yeares,when corage hot
The fire of loue and ioy of cheualree
First kindled in my brest, it was my lot
To loue this gentle Lady, whom ye see,
Now not a Lady, but a seeming tree;
With whom as once I rode accompanyde,
Me chaunced of a knight encountred bee,
That had a like faire Lady by his syde,
Like a faire Lady, but did fowle Duessa hyde.
Whose forged beauty he didtake in hand,
All other Dames to haue exceeded farre;
I in defence of mine did likewise stand,
Mine, that did then shine as the Morning starre:
So both to battell fierce arraunged arre,
In which his harder fortune was to fall
Vnder my speare: such is the dye of warre:
His Lady left as a prise martiall,
Did yield her comely person, to be at my call.
So doubly lou'd of Ladiesvnlike faire,
Th'one seeming such, the other such indeede,
One day in doubt I cast for to compare,
Whether in beauties glorie did exceede;
A Rosy girlond was the victors meede:
Both seemde to win, and both seemde won to bee,
So hard the discord was to be agreede.
Fr¾lissa was as faire, as faire mote bee,
And euer false Duessa seemde as faire as shee.
The wicked witch now seeingall this while
The doubtfull ballaunce equally to sway,
What not by right, she cast to win by guile,
And by her hellish science raisd streightway
A foggy mist, that ouercast the day,
And a dull blast, that breathing on her face,
Dimmed her former beauties shining ray,
And with foule vgly forme did her disgrace:
Then was she faire alone, when none was faire in place.
Then cride she out, Fye, fye,deformed wight,
Whose borrowed beautie now appeareth plaine
To haue before bewitched all mens sight;
O leaue her soone, or let her soone be slaine.
Her loathly visage viewing with disdaine,
Eftsoones I thought her such, as she me told,
And would haue kild her; but with faigned paine,
The false witch did my wrathfull hand with-hold;
So left her, where she now is turnd to treen mould.
Thensforth I tooke Duessafor my Dame,
And in the witch vnweeting ioyd long time,
Ne euer wist, but that she was the same,
Till on a day (that day is euery Prime,
When Witches wont do penance for their crime)
I chaunst to see her in her proper hew,
Bathing her selfe in origane and thyme:
A filthy foule old woman I did vew,
That euer to haue toucht her, I did deadly rew.
Her neather partes misshapen,monstruous,
Were hidd in water, that I could not see,
But they did seeme more foule and hideous,
Then womans shape man would beleeue to bee.
Thensforth from her most beastly companie
I gan refraine, in minde to slip away,
Soone as appeard safe opportunitie:
For danger great, if not assur'd decay
I saw before mine eyes, if I were knowne to stray.
The diuelish hag by chaungesof my cheare
Perceiu'd my thought, and drownd in sleepie night,
With wicked herbes and ointments did besmeare
My bodie all, through charmes and magicke might,
That all my senses were bereaued quight:
Then brought she me into this desert waste,
And by my wretched louers side me pight,
Where now enclosd in wooden wals full faste,
Banisht from liuing wights, our wearie dayes we waste.
But how long time, said thenthe Elfin knight,
Are you in this misformed house to dwell?
We may not chaunge (quoth he) this euil plight,
Till we be bathed in a liuing well;
That is the terme prescribed by the spell.
O how, said he, mote I that well out find,
That may restore you to your wonted well?
Time and suffised fates to former kynd
Shall vs restore, none else from hence may vs vnbynd.
The false Duessa, now Fidessahight,
Heard how in vaine Fradubio did lament,
And knew well all was true. But the good knight
Full of sad feare and ghastly dreriment,
When all this speech the liuing tree had spent,
The bleeding bough did thrust into the ground,
That from the bloud he might be innocent,
And with fresh clay did close the wooden wound:
Then turning to his Lady, dead with feare her found.
Her seeming dead he found withfeigned feare,
As all vnweeting of that well she knew,
And paynd himselfe with busie care to reare
Her out of carelesse swowne. Her eylids blew
And dimmed sight with pale and deadly hew
At last she vp gan lift: with trembling cheare
Her vp he tooke, too simple and too trew,
And oft her kist. At length all passed feare,
He set her on her steede, and forward forth did beare.
Forsaken Truth long seekes her loue,
And makes the Lyon mylde,
Marres blind Deuotions mart, and fals
In hand of leachour vylde. Noughtthere vnder heau'ns wilde hollownesse,
That moues more deare compassion of mind,
Then beautie brought t'vnworthy wretchednesse
Through enuies snares or fortunes freakes vnkind:
I, whether lately through her brightnesse blind,
Or through alleageance and fast fealtie,
Which I do owe vnto all woman kind,
Feele my heart perst with so great agonie,
When such I see, that all for pittie I could die. And now it is empassioned sodeepe,
For fairest Vnaes sake, of whom I sing,
That my fraile eyes these lines with teares do steepe,
To thinke how she through guilefull handeling,
Though true as touch, though daughter of a king,
Though faire as euer liuing wight was faire,
Though nor in word nor deede ill meriting,
Is from her knight diuorced in despaire
And her due loues deriu'd to that vile witches share.
Yet she most faithfull Ladieall this while
Forsaken, wofull, solitarie mayd
Farre from all peoples prease, as in exile,
In wildernesse and wastfull deserts strayd,
To seeke her knight; who subtilly betrayd
Through that late vision, which th'Enchaunter wrought,
Had her abandond. She of nought affrayd,
Through woods and wastnesse wide him daily sought;
Yet wished tydings none of him vnto her brought.
One day nigh wearie of theyrkesome way,
From her vnhastie beast she did alight,
And on the grasse her daintie limbes did lay
In secret shadow, farre from all mens sight:
From her faire head her fillet she vndight,
And laid her stole aside. Her angels face
As the great eye of heauen shyned bright,
And made a sunshine in the shadie place;
Did neuer mortall eye behold such heauenly grace.
It fortuned out of thethickest wood
A ramping Lyon rushed suddainly,
Hunting full greedie after saluage blood;
Soone as the royall virgin he did spy,
With gaping mouth at her ran greedily,
To haue attonce deuour'd her tender corse:
But to the pray when as he drew more ny,
His bloudie rage asswaged with remorse,
And with the sight amazd, forgat his furious forse.
In stead thereof he kist herwearie feet,
And lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong,
As he her wronged innocence did weet.
O how can beautie maister the most strong,
And simple truth subdue auenging wrong?
Whose yeelded pride and proud submission,
Still dreading death, when she had marked long,
Her hart gan melt in great compassion,
And drizling teares did shed for pure affection.
The Lyon Lord of euerie beastin field,
Quoth she, his princely puissance doth abate,
And mightie proud to humble weake does yield,
Forgetfull of the hungry rage, which late
Him prickt, in pittie of my sad estate:
But he my Lyon, and my noble Lord,
How does he find in cruell hart to hate
Her that him lou'd, and euer most adord,
As the God of my life? why hath he me abhord?
Redounding teares did choketh'end of her plaint,
Which softly ecchoed from the neighbour wood;
And sad to see her sorrowfull constraint
The kingly beast vpon her gazing stood;
With pittie calmd, downe fell his angry mood.
At last in close hart shutting vp her paine,
Arose the virgin borne of heauenly brood,
And to her snowy Palfrey got againe,
To seeke her strayed Champion, if she might attaine.
The Lyon would not leaue herdesolate,
But with her went along, as a strong gard
Of her chast person, and a faithfull mate
Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard:
Still when she slept, he kept both watch and ward,
And when she wakt, he waited diligent,
With humble seruice to her will prepard:
From her faire eyes he tooke commaundement,
And euer by her lookes conceiued her intent.
Long she thus traueiledthrough deserts wyde,
By which she thought her wandring knight shold pas,
Yet neuer shew of liuing wight espyde;
Till that at length she found the troden gras,
In which the tract of peoples footing was,
Vnder the steepe foot of a mountaine hore;
The same she followes, till at last she has
A damzell spyde slow footing her before,
That on her shoulders sad a pot of water bore.
To whom approching she to hergan call,
To weet, if dwelling place were nigh at hand;
But the rude wench her answer'd nought at all,
She could not heare, nor speake, nor vnderstand;
Till seeing by her side the Lyon stand,
With suddaine feare her pitcher downe she threw,
And fled away: for neuer in that land
Face of faire Ladie she before did vew,
And that dread Lyons looke her cast in deadly hew.
Full fast she fled, ne euerlookt behynd,
As if her life vpon the wager lay,
And home she came, whereas her mother blynd
Sate in eternall night: nought could she say,
But suddaine catching hold, did her dismay
With quaking hands, and other signs of feare:
Who full of ghastly fright and cold affray,
Gan shut the dore. By this arriued there
Dame Vna, wearie Dame, and entrance did requere.
Which when none yeelded, hervnruly Page
With his rude clawes the wicket open rent,
And let her in; where of his cruell rage
Nigh dead with feare, and faint astonishment,
She found them both in darkesome corner pent;
Where that old woman day and night did pray
Vpon her beades deuoutly penitent;
Nine hundred Pater nosters euery day,
And thrise nine hundred Aues she was wont to say.
And to augment her painefullpennance more,
Thrise euery weeke in ashes she did sit,
And next her wrinkled skin rough sackcloth wore,
And thrise three times did fast from any bit:
But now for feare her beads she did forget.
Whose needlesse dread for to remoue away,
Faire Vna framed words and count'nance fit:
Which hardly doen, at length she gan them pray,
That in their cotage small, that night she rest her may.
The day is spent, and commethdrowsie night,
When euery creature shrowded is in sleepe;
Sad Vna downe her laies in wearie plight,
And at her feet the Lyon watch doth keepe:
In stead of rest, she does lament, and weepe
For the late losse of her deare loued knight,
And sighes, and grones, and euermore does steepe
Her tender brest in bitter teares all night,
All night she thinks too long, and often lookes for light.
Now when Aldeboran wasmounted hie
Aboue the shynie Cassiopeias chaire,
And all in deadly sleepe did drowned lie,
One knocked at the dore, and in would fare;
He knocked fast, and often curst, and sware,
That readie entrance was not at his call:
For on his backe a heauy load he bare
Of nightly stelths and pillage seuerall,
Which he had got abroad by purchase criminall.
He was to weete a stout andsturdie thiefe,
Wont to robbe Churches of their ornaments,
And poore mens boxes of their due reliefe,
Which giuen was to them for good intents;
The holy Saints of their rich vestiments
He did disrobe, when all men carelesse slept,
And spoild the Priests of their habiliments,
Whiles none the holy things in safety kept;
Then he by cunning sleights in at the window crept.
And all that he by right orwrong could find,
Vnto this house he brought, and did bestow
Vpon the daughter of this woman blind,
Abessa daughter of Corceca slow,
With whom he whoredome vsd, that few did know,
And fed her fat with feast of offerings,
And plentie, which in all the land did grow;
Ne spared he to giue her gold and rings:
And now he to her brought part of his stolen things.
Thus long the dore with rageand threats he bet,
Yet of those fearefull women none durst rize,
The Lyon frayed them, him in to let:
He would no longer stay him to aduize,
But open breakes the dore in furious wize,
And entring is; when that disdainfull beast
Encountring fierce, him suddaine doth surprize,
And seizing cruell clawes on trembling brest,
Vnder his Lordly foot him proudly hath supprest.
Him booteth not resist, norsuccour call,
His bleeding hart is in the vengers hand,
Who streight him rent in thousand peeces small,
And quite dismembred hath: the thirstie land
Drunke vp his life; his corse left on the strand.
His fearefull friends weare out the wofull night,
Ne dare to weepe, nor seeme to vnderstand
The heauie hap, which on them is alight,
Affraid, least to themselues the like mishappen might.
Now when broad day the worlddiscouered has,
Vp Vna rose, vp rose the Lyon eke,
And on their former iourney forward pas,
In wayes vnknowne, her wandring knight to seeke,
With paines farre passing that long wandring Greeke,
That for his loue refused deitie;
Such were the labours of this Lady meeke,
Still seeking him, that from her still did flie,
Then furthest from her hope, when most she weened nie.
Soone as she parted thence,the fearefull twaine,
That blind old woman and her daughter deare
Came forth, and finding Kirkrapine there slaine,
For anguish great they gan to rend their heare,
And beat their brests, and naked flesh to teare.
And when they both had wept and wayld their fill,
Then forth they ranne like two amazed deare,
Halfe mad through malice, and reuenging will,
To follow her, that was the causer of their ill.
Whom ouertaking, they ganloudly bray,
With hollow howling, and lamenting cry,
Shamefully at her rayling all the way,
And her accusing of dishonesty,
That was the flowre of faith and chastity;
And still amidst her rayling, she did pray,
That plagues, and mischiefs, and long misery
Might fall on her, and follow all the way,
And that in endlesse error she might euer stray.
But when she saw her prayersnought preuaile,
She backe returned with some labour lost;
And in the way as she did weepe and waile,
A knight her met in mighty armes embost,
Yet knight was not for all his bragging bost,
But subtill Archimag, that Vna sought
By traynes into new troubles to haue tost:
Of that old woman tydings he besought,
If that of such a Ladie she could tellen ought.
Therewith she gan her passionto renew,
And cry, and curse, and raile, and rend her heare,
Saying, that harlot she too lately knew,
That causd her shed so many a bitter teare,
And so forth told the story of her feare:
Much seemed he to mone her haplesse chaunce,
And after for that Ladie did inquere;
Which being taught, he forward gan aduaunce
His fair enchaunted steed, and eke his charmed launce.
Ere long he came, where Vnatraueild slow,
And that wilde Champion wayting her besyde:
Whom seeing such, for dread he durst not show
Himselfe too nigh at hand, but turned wyde
Vnto an hill; from whence when she him spyde,
By his like seeming shield, her knight by name
She weend it was, and towards him gan ryde:
Approching nigh, she wist it was the same,
And with faire fearefull humblesse towards him shee came.
And weeping said, Ah my longlacked Lord,
Where haue ye bene thus long out of my sight?
Much feared I to haue bene quite abhord,
Or ought haue done, that ye displeasen might,
That should as death vnto my deare hart light:
For since mine eye your ioyous sight did mis,
My chearefull day is turnd to chearelesse night,
And eke my night of death the shadow is;
But welcome now my light, and shining lampe of blis.
He thereto meeting said, Mydearest Dame,
Farre be it from your thought, and fro my will,
To thinke that knighthood I so much should shame,
As you to leaue, that haue me loued still,
And chose in Faery court of meere goodwill,
Where noblest knights were to be found on earth:
The earth shall sooner leaue her kindly skill
To bring forth fruit, and make eternall derth,
Then I leaue you, my liefe, yborne of heauenly berth.
And sooth to say, why I leftyou so long,
Was for to seeke aduenture in strange place,
Where Archimago said a felon strong
To many knights did daily worke disgrace;
But knight he now shall neuer more deface:
Good cause of mine excuse; that mote ye please
Well to accept, and euermore embrace
My faithfull seruice, that by land and seas
Haue vowd you to defend. Now then your plaint appease.
His louely words her seemd duerecompence
Of all her passed paines: one louing howre
For many yeares of sorrow can dispence:
A dram of sweet is worth a pound of sowre:
She has forgot, how many a wofull stowre
For him she late endur'd; she speakes no more
Of past: true is, that true loue hath no powre
To looken backe; his eyes be fixt before.
Before her stands her knight, for whom she toyld so sore.
Much like, as when the beatenmarinere,
That long hath wandred in the Ocean wide,
Oft soust in swelling Tethys saltish teare,
And long time hauing tand his tawney hide
With blustring breath of heauen, that none can bide,
And scorching flames of fierce Orions hound,
Soone as the port from farre he has espide,
His chearefull whistle merrily doth sound,
And Nereus crownes with cups; his mates him pledg around.
Such ioy made Vna,when her knight she found;
And eke th'enchaunter ioyous seemd no lesse,
Then the glad marchant, that does vew from ground
His ship farre come from watrie wildernesse,
He hurles out vowes, and Neptune oft doth blesse:
So forth they past, and all the way they spent
Discoursing of her dreadfull late distresse,
In which he askt her, what the Lyon ment:
Who told her all that fell in iourney as she went.
They had not ridden farre,when they might see
One pricking towards them with hastie heat,
Full strongly armd, and on a courser free,
That through his fiercenesse fomed all with sweat,
And the sharpe yron did for anger eat,
When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side;
His looke was sterne, and seemed still to threat
Cruell reuenge, which he in hart did hyde,
And on his shield Sans loy in bloudie lines was dyde.
When nigh he drew vnto thisgentle payre
And saw the Red-crosse, which the knight did beare,
He burnt in fire, and gan eftsoones prepare
Himselfe to battell with his couched speare.
Loth was that other, and did faint through feare,
To taste th'vntryed dint of deadly steele;
But yet his Lady did so well him cheare,
That hope of new good hap he gan to feele;
So bent his speare, and spurnd his horse with yron heele.
But that proud Paynim forwardcame so fierce,
And full of wrath, that with his sharp-head speare
Through vainely crossed shield he quite did pierce,
And had his staggering steede not shrunke for feare,
Through shield and bodie eke he should him beare:
Yet so great was the puissance of his push,
That from his saddle quite he did him beare:
He tombling rudely downe to ground did rush,
And from his gored wound a well of bloud did gush.
Dismounting lightly from hisloftie steed,
He to him lept, in mind to reaue his life,
And proudly said, Lo there the worthie meed
Of him, that slew Sansfoy with bloudie knife;
Henceforth his ghost freed from repining strife,
In peace may passen ouer Lethe lake,
When morning altars purgd with enemies life,
The blacke infernall Furies doen aslake:
Life from Sansfoy thou tookst, Sansloy shall fro[m]thee take.
Therewith in haste his helmetgan vnlace,
Till Vna cride, O hold that heauie hand,
Deare Sir, what euer that thou be in place:
Enough is, that thy foe doth vanquisht stand
Now at thy mercy: Mercie not withstand:
For he is one the truest knight aliue,
Though conquered now he lie on lowly land,
And whilest him fortune fauourd, faire did thriue
In bloudie field: therefore of life him not depriue.
Her piteous words might notabate his rage,
But rudely rending vp his helmet, would
Haue slaine him straight: but when he sees his age,
And hoarie head of Archimago old,
His hastie hand he doth amazed hold,
And halfe ashamed, wondred at the sight:
For the old man well knew he, though vntold,
In charmes and magicke to haue wondrous might,
Ne euer wont in field, ne in round lists to fight.
And said, Why Archimago,lucklesse syre,
What doe I see? what hard mishap is this,
That hath thee hither brought to taste mine yre?
Or thine the fault, or mine the error is,
In stead of foe to wound my friend amis?
He answered nought, but in a traunce still lay,
And on those guilefull dazed eyes of his
The cloud of death did sit. Which doen away,
He left him lying so, ne would no lenger stay.
But to the virgin comes, whoall this while
Amased stands, her selfe so mockt to see
By him, who has the guerdon of his guile,
For so misfeigning her true knight to bee:
Yet is she now in more perplexitie,
Left in the hand of that same Paynim bold,
From whom her booteth not at all to flie;
Who by her cleanly garment catching hold,
Her from her Palfrey pluckt, her visage to behold.
But her fierce seruant full ofkingly awe
And high disdaine, whenas his soueraine Dame
So rudely handled by her foe he sawe,
With gaping iawes full greedy at him came,
And ramping on his shield, did weene the same
Haue reft away with his sharpe rending clawes:
But he was stout, and lust did now inflame
His corage more, that fro[m] his griping pawes
He hath his shield redeem'd, and foorth his sword he drawes.
O then too weake and feeblewas the forse
Of saluage beast, his puissance to withstand:
For he was strong, and of so mightie corse,
As euer wielded speare in warlike hand,
And feates of armes did wisely vnderstand.
Eftsoones he perced through his chaufed chest
With thrilling point of deadly yron brand,
And launcht his Lordly hart: with death opprest
He roar'd aloud, whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest.
Who now is left to keepe theforlorne maid
From raging spoile of lawlesse victors will?
Her faithfull gard remou'd, her hope dismaid,
Her selfe a yeelded pray to saue or spill.
He now Lord of the field, his pride to fill,
With foule reproches, and disdainfull spight
Her vildly entertaines, and will or nill,
Beares her away vpon his courser light:
Her prayers nought preuaile, his rage is more of might.
And all the way, with greatlamenting paine,
And piteous plaints she filleth his dull eares,
That stony hart could riuen haue in twaine,
And all the way she wets with flowing teares:
But he enrag'd with rancor, nothing heares.
Her seruile beast yet would not leaue her so,
But followes her farre off, ne ought he feares,
To be partaker of her wandring woe,
More mild in beastly kind, then that her beastly foe.
To sinfull house of Pride, Duessa
guides the faithfull knight,
Where brothers death to wreak Sansioy
doth chalenge him to fight. Young knight, what euer that dost armes professe,
And through long labours huntest after fame,
Beware of fraud, beware of ficklenesse,
In choice, and change of thy deare loued Dame,
Least thou of her beleeue too lightly blame,
And rash misweening doe thy hart remoue:
For vnto knight there is no greater shame,
Then lightnesse and inconstancie in loue;
That doth this Redcrosse knights ensample plainly proue. Who after that he had faire Vnalorne,
Through light misdeeming of her loialtie,
And false Duessa in her sted had borne,
Called Fidess', and so supposd to bee;
Long with her traueild, till at last they see
A goodly building, brauely garnished,
The house of mightie Prince it seemd to bee:
And towards it a broad high way that led,
All bare through peoples feet, which thither traueiled.
Great troupes of peopletraueild thitherward
Both day and night, of each degree and place,
But few returned, hauing scaped hard,
With balefull beggerie, or foule disgrace,
Which euer after in most wretched case,
Like loathsome lazars, by the hedges lay.
Thither Duessa bad him bend his pace:
For she is wearie of the toilesome way,
And also nigh consumed is the lingring day.
A stately Pallace built ofsquared bricke,
Which cunningly was without morter laid,
Whose wals were high, but nothing strong, nor thick,
And golden foile all ouer them displaid,
That purest skye with brightnesse they dismaid:
High lifted vp were many loftie towres,
And goodly galleries farre ouer laid,
Full of faire windowes, and delightfull bowres;
And on the top a Diall told the timely howres.
It was a goodly heape for tobehould,
And spake the praises of the workmans wit;
But full great pittie, that so faire a mould
Did on so weake foundation euer sit:
For on a sandie hill, that still did flit,
And fall away, it mounted was full hie,
That euery breath of heauen shaked it:
And all the hinder parts, that few could spie,
Were ruinous and old, but painted cunningly.
Arriued there they passed inforth right;
For still to all the gates stood open wide,
Yet charge of them was to a Porter hight
Cald Maluenœ, who entrance none denide:
Thence to the hall, which was on euery side
With rich array and costly arras dight:
Infinite sorts of people did abide
There waiting long, to win the wished sight
Of her, that was the Lady of that Pallace bright.
By them they passe, all gazingon them round,
And to the Presence mount; whose glorious vew
Their frayle amazed senses did confound:
In liuing Princes court none euer knew
Such endlesse richesse, and so sumptuous shew;
Ne Persia selfe, the nourse of pompous pride
Like euer saw. And there a noble crew
Of Lordes and Ladies stood on euery side
Which with their presence faire, the place much beautifide.
High aboue all a cloth ofState was spred,
And a rich throne, as bright as sunny day,
On which there sate most braue embellished
With royall robes and gorgeous array,
A mayden Queene, that shone as Titans ray,
In glistring gold, and peerelesse pretious stone:
Yet her bright blazing beautie did assay
To dim the brightnesse of her glorious throne,
As enuying her selfe, that too exceeding shone.
Exceeding shone, like Phoebusfairest childe,
That did presume his fathers firie wayne,
And flaming mouthes of steedes vnwonted wilde
Through highest heauen with weaker hand to rayne;
Proud of such glory and aduancement vaine,
While flashing beames do daze his feeble eyen,
He leaues the welkin way most beaten plaine,
And rapt with whirling wheeles, inflames the skyen,
With fire not made to burne, but fairely for to shyne.
So proud she shyned in herPrincely state,
Looking to heauen; for earth she did disdayne,
And sitting high; for lowly she did hate:
Lo vnderneath her scornefull feete, was layne
A dreadfull Dragon with an hideous trayne,
And in her hand she held a mirrhour bright,
Wherein her face she often vewed fayne,
And in her selfe-lou'd semblance tooke delight;
For she was wondrous faire, as any liuing wight.
Of griesly Pluto shethe daughter was,
And sad Proserpina the Queene of hell;
Yet did she thinke her pearelesse wroth to pas
That parentage, with pride so did she swell,
And thundring Ioue, that high in heauen doth dwell,
And wield the world, she claymed for her syre,
Or if that any else did Ioue excell:
For to the highest she did still aspyre,
Or if ought higher were then that, did it desyre.
And proud Lucifera mendid her call,
That made her selfe a Queene, and crownd to be,
Yet rightfull kingdome she had none at all,
Ne heritage of natiue soueraintie,
But did vsurpe with wrong and tyrannie
Vpon the scepter, which she now did hold:
Ne ruld her Realmes with lawes, but pollicie,
And strong aduizement of six wisards old,
That with their counsels bad her kingdome did vphold.
Soone as the Elfing knight inpresence came,
And false Duessa seeming Lady faire,
A gentle Husher, Vanitie by name
Made rowme, and passage for them did prepaire:
So goodly brought them to the lowest staire
Of her high throne, where they on humble knee
Making obeyssance, did the cause declare,
Why they were come, her royall state to see,
To proue the wide report of her great Maiestee.
With loftie eyes, halfe lothto looke so low,
She thanked them in her disdainefull wise,
Ne other grace vouchsafed them to show
Of Princesse worthy, scarse them bad arise.
Her Lordes and Ladies all this while deuise
Themselues to setten forth to straungers sight:
Some frounce their curled haire in courtly guise,
Some prancke their ruffes, and others trimly dight
Their gay attire: each others greater pride does spight.
Goodly they all that knight doentertaine,
Right glad with him to haue increast their crew:
But to Duess' each one himselfe did paine
All kindnesse and faire courtesie to shew;
For in that court whylome her well they knew:
Yet the stout Faerie mongst the middest crowd
Thought all their glorie vaine in knightly vew,
And that great Princesse too exceeding prowd,
That to strange knight no better countenance allowd.
Suddein vpriseth from herstately place
The royall Dame, and for her coche doth call:
All hurtlen forth, and she with Princely pace,
As faire Aurora in her purple pall,
Out of the East the dawning day doth call:
So forth she comes: her brightnesse brode doth blaze;
The heapes of people thronging in the hall,
Do ride each other, vpon her to gaze:
Her glorious glitterand light doth all mens eyes amaze.
So forth she comes, and to hercoche does clyme,
Adorned all with gold, and girlonds gay,
That seemd as fresh as Flora in her prime,
And stroue to match, in royall rich array,
Great Iunoes golden chaire, the which they say
The Gods stand gazing on, when she does ride
To Ioues high house through heauens bras-paued way
Drawne of faire Pecocks, that excell in pride,
And full of Argus eyes their tailes dispredden wide.
But this was drawne of sixvnequall beasts,
On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde,
Taught to obay their bestiall beheasts,
With like conditions to their kinds applyde:
Of which the first, that all the rest did guyde,
Was sluggish Idlenesse the nourse of sin;
Vpon a slouthfull Asse he chose to ryde,
Arayd in habit blacke, and amis thin,
Like to an holy Monck, the seruice to begin.
And in his hand his Portessestill he bare,
That much was worne, but therein little red,
For of deuotion he had little care,
Still drownd in sleepe, and most of his dayes ded;
Scarse could he once vphold his heauie hed,
To looken, whether it were night or day:
May seeme the wayne was very euill led,
When such an one had guiding of the way,
That knew not, whether right he went, or else astray.
From worldy cares himselfe hedid esloyne,
And greatly shunned manly exercise,
From euery worke he chalenged essoyne,
For contemplation sake: yet otherwise,
His life he led in lawlesse riotise;
By which he grew to grieuous malady;
For in his lustlesse limbs through euill guise
A shaking feuer raignd continually:
Such one was Idlenesse, first of this company.
And by his side rode loathsome Gluttony,
Deformed creature, on a filthie swyne,
His belly was vp-blowne with luxury,
And eke with fatnesse swollen were his eyne,
And like a Crane his necke was long and fyne,
With which he swallowd vp excessiue feast,
For want whereof poore people oft did pyne;
And all the way, most like a brutish beast,
He spued vp his gorge, that all did him deteast.
In greene vine leaues he wasright fitly clad;
For other clothes he could not weare for heat,
And on his head an yuie girland had,
From vnder which fast trickled downe the sweat:
Still as he rode, he somewhat still did eat,
And in his hand did beare a bouzing can,
Of which he supt so oft, that on his seat
His dronken corse he scarse vpholden can,
In shape and life more like a monster, then a man.
Vnfit he was for any worldything,
And eke vnhable once to stirre or go,
Not meet to be of counsell to a king,
Whose mind in meat and drinke was drowned so,
That from his friend he seldome knew his fo:
Full of diseases was his carcas blew,
And a dry dropsie through his flesh did flow:
Which by misdiet daily greater grew:
Such one was Gluttony, the second of that crew.
And next to him rode lustfull Lechery,
Vpon a bearded Goat, whose rugged haire,
And whally eyes (the signe of gelosy,)
Was like the person selfe, whom he did beare:
Who rough, and blacke, and filthy did appeare,
Vnseemely man to please faire Ladies eye;
Yet he of Ladies oft was loued deare,
When fairer faces were bid standen by:
O who does know the bent of womens fantasy?
In a greene gowne he clothedwas full faire,
Which vnderneath did hide his filthinesse,
And in his hand a burning hart he bare,
Full of vaine follies, and new fanglenesse:
For he was false, and fraught with ficklenesse,
And learned had to loue with secret lookes,
And well could daunce, and sing with ruefulnesse,
And fortunes tell, and read in louing bookes,
And thousand other wayes, to bait his fleshly hookes.
Inconstant man, that loued allhe saw,
And lusted after all, that he did loue,
Ne would his looser life be tide to law,
But ioyd weake wemens hearts to tempt, and proue
If from their loyall loues he might then moue;
Which lewdnesse fild him with reprochfull paine
Of that fowle euill, which all men reproue,
That rots the marrow, and consumes the braine:
Such one was Lecherie, the third of all this traine.
And greedy Auarice byhim did ride,
Vpon a Camell loaden all with gold;
Two iron coffers hong on either side,
With precious mettall full, as they might hold,
And in his lap an heape of coine he told;
For of his wicked pelfe his God he made,
And vnto hell him selfe for money sold;
Accursed vsurie was all his trade,
And right and wrong ylike in equall ballaunce waide.
His life was nigh vnto deathsdoore yplast,
And thred-bare cote, and cobled shoes he ware,
Ne scarse good morsell all his life did tast,
But both from backe and belly still did spare,
To fill his bags, and richesse to compare;
Yet chylde ne kinsman liuing had he none
To leaue them to; but thorough daily care
To get, and nightly feare to lose his owne,
He led a wretched life vnto him selfe vnknowne.
Most wretched wight, whomnothing might suffise,
Whose greedy lust did lacke in greatest store,
Whose need had end, but no end couetise,
Whose wealth was want, whose ple[n]ty made him pore,
Who had enough, yet wished euer more;
A vile disease, and eke in foote and hand
A grieuous gout tormented him full sore,
That well he could not touch, nor go, nor stand:
Such one was Auarice, the fourth of this faire band.
And next to him malicious Enuierode,
Vpon a rauenous wolfe, and still did chaw
Betweene his cankred teeth a venemous tode,
That all the poison ran about his chaw;
But inwardly he chawed his owne maw
At neighbours wealth, that made him euer sad;
For death it was, when any good he saw,
And wept, that cause of weeping none he had,
But when he heard of harme, he wexed wondrous glad.
All in a kirtle of discolourdsay
He clothed was, ypainted full of eyes;
And in his bosome secretly there lay
An hatefull Snake, the which his taile vptyes
In many folds, and mortall sting implyes.
Still as he rode, he gnasht his teeth, to see
Those heapes of gold with griple Couetyse,
And grudged at the great felicitie
Of proud Lucifera, and his owne companie.
He hated all good workes andvertuous deeds,
And him no lesse, that any like did vse,
And who with gracious bread the hungry feeds,
His almes for want of faith he doth accuse;
So euery good to bad he doth abuse:
And eke the verse of famous Poets witt
He does backebite, and spightfull poison spues
From leprous mouth on all, that euer writt:
Such one vile Enuie was, that fift in row did sitt.
And him beside rides fiercereuenging VVrath,
Vpon a Lion, loth for to be led;
And in his hand a burning brond he hath,
The which he brandisheth about his hed;
His eyes did hurle forth sparkles fiery red,
And stared sterne on all, that him beheld,
As ashes pale of hew and seeming ded;
And on his dagger still his hand he held,
Trembling through hasty rage, whe[n] choler in him sweld.
His ruffin raiment all wasstaind with blood,
Which he had spilt, and all to rags yrent,
Through vnaduized rashnesse woxen wood;
For of his hands he had no gouernement,
Ne car'd for bloud in his auengement:
But when the furious fit was ouerpast,
His cruell facts he often would repent;
Yet wilfull man he neuer would forecast,
How many mischieues should ensue his heedlesse hast.
Full many mischiefes followcruell VVrath;
Abhorred bloudshed, and tumultuous strife,
Vnmanly murder, and vnthrifty scath,
Bitter despight, with rancours rusty knife,
And fretting griefe the enemy of life;
All these, and many euils moe haunt ire,
The swelling Splene, and Frenzy raging rife,
The shaking Palsey, and Saint Fraunces fire:
Such one was VVrath, the last of this vngodly tire.
And after all, vpon the wagonbeame
Rode Sathan, with a smarting whip in hand,
With which he forward lasht the laesie teme,
So oft as Slowth still in the mire did stand.
Huge routs of people did about them band,
Showting for ioy, and still before their way
A foggy mist had couered all the land;
And vnderneath their feet, all scattered lay
Dead sculs & bones of men, whose life had gone astray.
So forth they marchen in thisgoodly sort,
To take the solace of the open aire,
And in fresh flowring fields themselues to sport;
Emongst the rest rode that false Lady faire,
The fowle Duessa, next vnto the chaire
Of proud Lucifer', as one of the traine:
But that good knight would not so nigh repaire,
Him selfe estraunging from their ioyaunce vaine,
Whose fellowship seemd far vnfit for warlike swaine.
So hauing solaced themselues aspace
With pleasaunce of the breathing fields yfed
They backe returned to the Princely Place;
Whereas an errant knight in armes ycled,
And heathnish shield, wherein with letters red
Was writ Sans ioy, they new arriued find:
Enflam'd with fury and fiers hardy-hed,
He seemd in hart to harbour thoughts vnkind,
And nourish bloudy vengeaunce in his bitter mind.
Who when the shamed shield ofslaine Sans foy
He spide with that same Faery champions page,
Bewraying him, that did of late destroy
His eldest brother, burning all with rage
He to him leapt, and that same enuious gage
Of victors glory from him snatcht away:
But th'Elfin knight, which ought that warlike wage,
Disdaind to loose the meed he wonne in fray,
And him rencountring fierce, reskewd the noble pray.
Therewith they gan to hurtlengreedily,
Redoubted battaile ready to darrayne,
And clash their shields, and shake their swords on hy,
That with their sturre they troubled all the traine;
Till that great Queene vpon eternall paine
Of high displeasure, that ensewen might,
Commaunded them their fury to refraine,
And if that either to that shield had right,
In equall lists they should the morrow next it fight.
Ah dearest Dame, (quoth thenthe Paynim bold,)
Pardon the errour of enraged wight,
Whom great griefe made forget the raines to hold
Of reasons rule, to see this recreant knight,
No knight, but treachour full of false despight
And shamefull treason, who through guile hath slayn
The prowest knight, that euer field did fight,
Euen stout Sans foy (O who can then refrayn?)
Whose shield he beares renuerst, the more to heape disdayn.
And to augment the glorie ofhis guile,
His dearest loue the faire Fidessa loe
Is there possessed of the traytour vile,
Who reapes the haruest sowen by his foe,
Sowen in bloudy field, and bought with woe:
That brothers hand shall dearely well requight
So be, ™ Queene, you equall fauour showe.
Him litle answerd th'angry Elfin knight;
He neuer meant with words, but swords to plead his right.
But threw his gauntlet as asacred pledge,
His cause in combat the next day to try:
So been they parted both, with harts on edge,
To be aueng'd each on his enimy.
That night they pas in ioy and iollity,
Feasting and courting both in bowre and hall;
For Steward was excessiue Gluttonie,
That of his plenty poured forth to all:
Which doen, the Chamberlain Slowth did to rest them call.
Now whenas darkesome night hadall displayd
Her coleblacke curtein ouer brightest skye,
The warlike youthes on dayntie couches layd,
Did chace away sweet sleepe from sluggish eye,
To muse on meanes of hoped victory.
But whenas Morpheus had with leaden mace
Arrested all that courtly company,
Vp-rose Duessa from her resting place,
And to the Paynims lodging comes with silent pace.
Whom broad awake she finds, introublous fit,
Forecasting, how his foe he might annoy,
And him amoues with speaches seeming fit:
Ah deare Sans ioy, next dearest to Sans foy,
Cause of my new griefe, cause of my new ioy,
Ioyous, to see his ymage in mine eye,
And greeu'd, to thinke how foe did him destroy,
That was the flowre of grace and cheualrye;
Lo his Fidessa to thy secret faith I flye.
With gentle wordes he can herfairely greet,
And bad say on the secret of her hart.
Then sighing soft, I learne that litle sweet
Oft tempred is (quoth she) with muchell smart:
For since my brest was launcht with louely dart
Of deare Sansfoy, I neuer ioyed howre,
But in eternall woes my weaker hart
Haue wasted, louing him with all my powre,
And for his sake haue felt full many an heauie stowre.
At last when perils all Iweened past,
And hop'd to reape the crop of all my care,
Into new woes vnweeting I was cast,
By this false faytor, who vnworthy ware
His worthy shield, whom he with guilefull snare
Entrapped slew, and brought to shamefull graue.
Me silly maid away with him he bare,
And euer since hath kept in darksome caue,
For that I would not yeeld, that to Sans-foy I gaue.
But since faire Sunne hathsperst that lowring clowd,
And to my loathed life now shewes some light,
Vnder your beames I will me safely shrowd,
From dreaded storme of his disdainfull spight:
To you th'inheritance belongs by right
Of brothers prayse, to you eke longs his loue.
Let not his loue, let not his restlesse spright
Be vnreueng'd, that calles to you aboue
From wandring Stygian shores, where it doth endlesse moue.
Thereto said he, Faire Dame benought dismaid
For sorrowes past; their griefe is with them gone:
Ne yet of present perill be affraid;
For needlesse feare did neuer vantage none,
And helplesse hap it booteth not to mone.
Dead is Sans-foy, his vitall paines are past,
Though greeued ghost for vengeance deepe do grone:
He liues, that shall him pay his dewties last,
And guiltie Elfin bloud shall sacrifice in hast.
O but I feare the ficklefreakes (quoth shee)
Of fortune false, and oddes of armes in field.
Why dame (quoth he) what oddes can euer bee,
Where both do fight alike, to win or yield?
Yea but (quoth she) he beares a charmed shield,
And eke enchaunted armes, that none can perce,
Ne none can wound the man, that does them wield.
Charmd or enchaunted (answerd he then ferce)
I no whit reck, ne you the like need to reherce.
But faire Fidessa,sithens fortunes guile,
Or enimies powre hath now captiued you,
Returne from whence ye came, and rest a while
Till morrow next, that I the Elfe subdew,
And with Sans-foyes dead dowry you endew.
Ay me, that is a double death (she said)
With proud foes sight my sorrow to renew:
Where euer yet I be, my secrete aid
Shall follow you. So passing forth she him obaid.
The faithfull knight in equall field
subdewes his faithlesse foe,
Whom false Duessa saues, and for
his cure to hell does goe. The noble hart, that harbours vertuous thought,
And is with child of glorious great intent,
Can neuer rest, vntill it forth haue brought
Th'eternall brood of glorie excellent:
Such restlesse passion did all night torment
The flaming corage of that Faery knight,
Deuizing, how that doughtie turnament
With greatest honour he atchieuen might;
Still did he wake, and still did watch for dawning light. At last the golden Orientallgate
Of greatest heauen gan to open faire,
And Phoebus fresh, as bridegrome to his mate,
Came dauncing forth, shaking his deawie haire:
And hurld his glistring beames through gloomy aire.
Which when the wakeful Elfe perceiu'd, streight way
He started vp, and did him selfe prepaire,
In sun-bright armes, and battailous array:
For with that Pagan proud he combat will that day.
And forth he comes into thecommune hall,
Where earely waite him many a gazing eye,
To weet what end to straunger knights may fall.
There many Minstrales maken melody,
To driue away the dull melancholy,
And many Bardes, that to the trembling chord
Can tune their timely voyces cunningly,
And many Chroniclers, that can record
Old loues, and warres for Ladies doen by many a Lord.
Soone after comes the cruellSarazin,
In wouen maile all armed warily,
And sternly lookes at him, who not a pin
Does care for looke of liuing creatures eye.
They bring them wines of Greece and Araby,
And daintie spices fetcht from furthest Ynd,
To kindle heat of corage priuily:
And in the wine a solemne oth they bynd
T'obserue the sacred lawes of armes, that are assynd.
At last forth comes that farrenowmed Queene,
With royall pomp and Princely maiestie;
She is ybrought vnto a paled greene,
And placed vnder stately canapee,
The warlike feates of both those knights to see.
On th'other side in all mens open vew
Duessa placed is, and on a tree
Sans-foy his shield is hangd with bloudy hew:
Both those the lawrell girlonds to the victor dew.
A shrilling trompet sowndedfrom on hye,
And vnto battaill bad them selues addresse:
Their shining shieldes about their wrestes they tye,
And burning blades about their heads do blesse,
The instruments of wrath and heauinesse:
With greedy force each other doth assayle,
And strike so fiercely, that they do impresse
Deepe dinted furrowes in the battred mayle;
The yron walles to ward their blowes are weake & fraile.
The Sarazin was stout, andwondrous strong,
And heaped blowes like yron hammers great:
For after bloud and vengeance he did long.
The knight was fiers, and full of youthly heat:
And doubled strokes, like dreaded thunders threat:
For all for prayse and honour he did fight.
Both stricken strike, and beaten both do beat,
That from their shields forth flyeth firie light,
And helmets hewen deepe, shew marks of eithers might.
So th'one for wrong, the otherstriues for right:
As when a Gryfon seized of his pray,
A Dragon fiers encountreth in his flight,
Through widest ayre making his ydle way,
That would his rightfull rauine rend away:
With hideous horrour both together smight,
And souce so sore, that they the heauens affray:
The wise Southsayer seeing so sad sight,
Th'amazed vulgar tels of warres and mortall fight.
So th'one for wrong, the otherstriues for right,
And each to deadly shame would driue his foe:
The cruell steele so greedily doth bight
In tender flesh, that streames of bloud down flow,
With which the armes, that earst so bright did show,
Into a pure vermillion now are dyde:
Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow,
Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde,
That victory they dare not wish to either side.
At last the Paynim chaunst tocast his eye,
His suddein eye, flaming with wrathfull fyre,
Vpon his brothers shield, which hong thereby:
Therewith redoubled was his raging yre,
And said, Ah wretched sonne of wofull syre,
Doest thou sit wayling by black Stygian lake,
Whilest here thy shield is hangd for victors hyre,
And sluggish german doest thy forces slake,
To after-send his foe, that him may ouertake?
Goe caytiue Elfe, him quicklyouertake,
And soone redeeme from his long wandring woe;
Goe guiltie ghost, to him my message make,
That I his shield haue quit from dying foe.
Therewith vpon his crest he stroke him so,
That twise he reeled, readie twise to fall;
End of the doubtfull battell deemed tho
The lookers on, and lowd to him gan call
The false Duessa, Thine the shield, and I, and all.
Soone as the Faerie heard hisLadie speake,
Out of his swowning dreame he gan awake,
And quickning faith, that earst was woxen weake,
The creeping deadly cold away did shake:
Tho mou'd with wrath, and shame, and Ladies sake,
Of all attonce he cast auengd to bee,
And with so'exceeding furie at him strake,
That forced him to stoupe vpon his knee;
Had he not stouped so, he should haue clouen bee.
And to him said, Goe now proudMiscreant,
Thy selfe thy message doe to german deare,
Alone he wandring thee too long doth want:
Goe say, his foe thy shield with his doth beare.
Therewith his heauie hand he high gan reare,
Him to haue slaine; when loe a darkesome clowd
Vpon him fell: he no where doth appeare,
But vanisht is. The Elfe him cals alowd,
But answer none receiues: the darknes him does shrowd.
In haste Duessa fromher place arose,
And to him running said, O prowest knight,
That euer Ladie to her loue did chose,
Let now abate the terror of your might,
And quench the flame of furious despight,
And bloudie vengeance; lo th'infernall powres
Couering your foe with cloud of deadly night,
Haue borne him hence to Plutoes balefull bowres.
The conquest yours, I yours, the shield, and glory yours.
Not all so satisfide, withgreedie eye
He sought all round about, his thirstie blade
To bath in bloud of faithlesse enemy;
Who all that while lay hid in secret shade:
He standes amazed, how he thence should fade.
At last the trumpets Triumph sound on hie,
And running Heralds humble homage made,
Greeting him goodly with new victorie,
And to him brought the shield, the cause of enmitie.
Wherewith he goeth to thatsoueraine Queene,
And falling her before on lowly knee,
To her makes present of his seruice seene:
Which she accepts, with thankes, and goodly gree,
Greatly aduauncing his gay cheualree.
So marcheth home, and by her takes the knight,
Whom all the people follow with great glee,
Shouting, and clapping all their hands on hight,
That all the aire it fils, and flyes to heauen bright.
Home is he brought, and laidin sumptuous bed:
Where many skilfull leaches him abide,
To salue his hurts, that yet still freshly bled.
In wine and oyle they wash his woundes wide,
And softly can embalme on euery side.
And all the while, most heauenly melody
About the bed sweet musicke did diuide,
Him to beguile of griefe and agony:
And all the while Duessa wept full bitterly.
As when a wearie trauellerthat strayes
By muddy shore of broad seuen-mouthed Nile,
Vnweeting of the perillous wandring wayes,
Doth meet a cruell craftie Crocodile,
Which in false griefe hyding his harmefull guile,
Doth weepe full sore, and sheddeth tender teares:
The foolish man, that pitties all this while
His mournefull plight, is swallowd vp vnwares,
Forgetfull of his owne, that mindes anothers cares.
So wept Duessa vntilleuentide,
That shyning lampes in Ioues high house were light:
Then forth she rose, ne lenger would abide,
But comes vnto the place, where th'Hethen knight
In slombring swownd nigh voyd of vitall spright,
Lay couer'd with inchaunted cloud all day:
Whom when she found, as she him left in plight,
To wayle his woefull case she would not stay,
But to the easterne coast of heauen makes speedy way.
Where griesly Night,with visage deadly sad,
That Phoebus chearefull face durst neuer vew,
And in a foule blacke pitchie mantle clad,
She findes forth comming from her darkesome mew,
Where she all day did hide her hated hew.
Before the dore her yron charet stood,
Alreadie harnessed for iourney new;
And coleblacke steedes yborne of hellish brood,
That on their rustie bits did champ, as they were wood.
Who when she saw Duessasunny bright,
Adornd with gold and iewels shining cleare,
She greatly grew amazed at the sight,
And th'vnacquainted light began to feare:
For neuer did such brightnesse there appeare,
And would haue backe retyred to her caue,
Vntill the witches speech she gan to heare,
Saying, Yet ™ thou dreaded Dame, I craue
Abide, till I haue told the message, which I haue.
She stayd, and foorth Duessagan proceede,
O thou most auncient Grandmother of all,
More old then Ioue, whom thou at first didst breede,
Or that great house of Gods c¾lestiall,
Which wast begot in D¾mogorgons hall,
And sawst the secrets of the world vnmade,
Why suffredst thou thy Nephewes deare to fall
With Elfin sword, most shamefully betrade?
Lo where the stout Sansioy doth sleepe in deadly shade.
And him before, I saw withbitter eyes
The bold Sansfoy shrinke vnderneath his speare;
And now the pray of fowles in field he lyes,
Nor wayld of friends, nor laid on groning beare,
That whylome was to me too dearely deare.
O what of Gods then boots it to be borne,
If old Aveugles sonnes so euill heare?
Or who shall not great Nightes children scorne,
When two of three her Nephews are so fowle forlorne?
Vp then, vp dreary Dame, ofdarknesse Queene,
Go gather vp the reliques of thy race,
Or else goe them auenge, and let be seene,
That dreaded Night in brightest day hath place,
And can the children of faire light deface.
Her feeling speeches some compassion moued
In hart, and chaunge in that great mothers face:
Yet pittie in her hart was neuer proued
Till then: for euermore she hated, neuer loued.
And said, Deare daughterrightly may I rew
The fall of famous children borne of mee,
And good successes, which their foes ensew:
But who can turne the streame of destinee,
Or breake the chayne of strong necessitee,
Which fast is tyde to Ioues eternall seat?
The sonnes of Day he fauoureth, I see,
And by my ruines thinkes to make them great:
To make one great by others losse, is bad excheat.
Yet shall they not escape sofreely all;
For some shall pay the price of others guilt:
And he the man that made Sansfoy to fall,
Shall with his owne bloud price that he hath spilt.
But what art thou, that telst of Nephews kilt?
I that do seeme not I, Duessa am,
(Quoth she) how euer now in garments gilt,
And gorgeous gold arayd I to thee came;
Duessa I, the daughter of Deceipt and Shame.
Then bowing downe her agedbacke, she kist
The wicked witch, saying; In that faire face
The false resemblance of Deceipt, I wist
Did closely lurke; yet so true-seeming grace
It carried, that I scarse in darkesome place
Could it discerne, though I the mother bee
Of falshood, and root of Duessaes race.
O welcome child, whom I haue longd to see,
And how haue seene vnwares. Lo now I go with thee.
Then to her yron wagon shebetakes,
And with her beares the fowle welfauourd witch:
Through mirkesome aire her readie way she makes.
Her twyfold Teme, of which two blacke as pitch,
And two were browne, yet each to each vnlich,
Did softly swim away, ne euer stampe,
Vnlesse she chaunst their stubborne mouths to twitch;
Then foming tarre, their bridles they would champe,
And trampling the fine element, would fiercely rampe.
So well they sped, that theybe come at length
Vnto the place, whereas the Paynim lay,
Deuoid of outward sense, and natiue strength,
Couerd with charmed cloud from vew of day,
And sight of men, since his late luckelesse fray.
His cruell wounds with cruddy bloud congealed,
They binden vp so wisely, as they may,
And handle softly, till they can be healed:
So lay him in her charet, close in night concealed.
And all the while she stoodvpon the ground,
The wakefull dogs did neuer cease to bay,
As giuing warning of th'vnwonted sound,
With which her yron wheeles did them affray,
And her darke griesly looke them much dismay;
The messenger of death, the ghastly Owle
With drearie shriekes did also her bewray;
And hungry Wolues continually did howle,
At her abhorred face, so filthy and so fowle.
Thence turning backe insilence soft they stole,
And brought the heauie corse with easie pace
To yawning gulfe of deepe Auernus hole.
By that same hole an entrance darke and bace
With smoake and sulphure hiding all the place,
Descends to hell: there creature neuer past,
That backe returned without heauenly grace;
But dreadfull Furies, which their chaines haue brast,
And damned sprights sent forth to make ill men aghast.
By that same way the direfulldames doe driue
Their mournefull charet, fild with rusty blood,
And downe to Plutoes house are come biliue:
Which passing through, on euery side them stood
The trembling ghosts with sad amazed mood,
Chattring their yron teeth, and staring wide
With stonie eyes; and all the hellish brood
Of feends infernall flockt on euery side,
To gaze on earthly wight, that with the Night durst ride.
They pas the bitter waues of Acheron,
Where many soules sit wailing woefully,
And come to fiery flood of Phlegeton,
Whereas the damned ghosts in torments fry,
And with sharpe shrilling shriekes doe bootlesse cry,
Cursing high Ioue, the which them thither sent.
The house of endlesse paine is built thereby,
In which ten thousand sorts of punishment
The cursed creatures doe eternally torment.
Before the threshold dreadfull Cerberus
His three deformed heads did lay along,
Curled with thousand adders venemous,
And lilled forth his bloudie flaming tong:
At them he gan to reare his bristles strong,
And felly gnarre, vntill dayes enemy
Did him appease; then downe his taile he hong
And suffered them to passen quietly:
For she in hell and heauen had power equally.
There was Ixion turnedon a wheele,
For daring tempt the Queene of heauen to sin;
And Sisyphus an huge round stone did reele
Against an hill, ne might from labour lin;
There thirstie Tantalus hong by the chin;
And Tityus fed a vulture on his maw;
Typhoeus ioynts were stretched on a gin,
Theseus condemned to endlesse slouth by law,
And fifty sisters water in leake vessels draw.
They all beholding worldlywights in place,
Leaue off their worke, vnmindfull of their smart,
To gaze on them; who forth by them doe pace,
Till they be come vnto the furthest part:
Where was a Caue ywrought by wondrous art,
Deepe, darke, vneasie, dolefull, comfortlesse,
In which sad ®sculapius farre a part
Emprisond was in chaines remedilesse,
For that Hippolytus rent corse he did redresse.
Hippolytus a iollyhuntsman was,
That wont in charet chace the foming Bore;
He all his Peeres in beautie did surpas,
But Ladies loue as losse of time forbore:
His wanton stepdame loued him the more,
But when she saw her offred sweets refused
Her loue she turnd to hate, and him before
His father fierce of treason false accused,
And with her gealous termes his open eares abused.
Who all in rage his Sea-godsyre besought,
Some cursed vengeance on his sonne to cast:
From surging gulf two monsters straight were brought,
With dread whereof his chasing steedes aghast,
Both charet swift and huntsman ouercast.
His goodly corps on ragged cliffs yrent,
Was quite dismembred, and his members chast
Scattered on euery mountaine, as he went,
That of Hippolytus was left no moniment.
His cruell stepdame seeingwhat was donne,
Her wicked dayes with wretched knife did end,
In death auowing th'innocence of her sonne.
Which hearing his rash Syre, began to rend
His haire, and hastie tongue, that did offend:
Tho gathering vp the relicks of his smart
By Dianes meanes, who was Hippolyts frend,
Them brought to ®sculape, that by his art
Did heale them all againe, and ioyned euery part.
Such wondrous science in manswit to raine
When Ioue auizd, that could the dead reuiue,
And fates expired could renew againe,
Of endlesse life he might him not depriue,
But vnto hell did thrust him downe aliue,
With flashing thunderbolt ywounded sore:
Where long remaining, he did alwaies striue
Himselfe wilth salues to health for to restore,
And slake the heauenly fire, that raged euermore.
There auncient Night arriuing,did alight
From her nigh wearie waine, and in her armes
To ®sculapius brought the wounded knight:
Whom hauing softly disarayd of armes,
Tho gan to him discouer all his harmes,
Beseeching him with prayer, and with praise,
If either salues, or oyles, or herbes, or charmes
A fordonne wight from dore of death mote raise,
He would at her request prolong her nephews daies.
Ah Dame (quoth he) thoutemptest me in vaine,
To dare the thing, which daily yet I rew,
And the old cause of my continued paine
With like attempt to like end to renew.
Is not enough, that thrust from heauen dew
Here endlesse penance for one fault I pay,
But that redoubled crime with vengeance new
Thou biddest me to eeke? Can Night defray
The wrath of thundring Ioue, that rules both night and day?
Not so (quoth she) but siththat heauens king
From hope of heauen hath thee excluded quight,
Why fearest thou, that canst not hope for thing,
And fearest not, that more thee hurten might,
Now in the powre of euerlasting Night?
Goe to then, ™ thou farre renowmed sonne
Of great Apollo, shew thy famous might
In medicine, that else hath to thee wonne
Great paines, & greater praise, both neuer to be donne.
Her words preuaild: And thenthe learned leach
His cunning hand gan to his wounds to lay,
And all things else, the which his art did teach:
Which hauing seene, from thence arose away
The mother of dread darknesse, and let stay
Aueugles sonne there in the leaches cure,
And backe returning tooke her wonted way,
To runne her timely race, whilst Phoebus pure
In westerne waues his wearie wagon did recure.
The false Duessaleauing noyous Night,
Returnd to stately pallace of dame Pride;
Where when she came, she found the Faery knight
Departed thence, albe his woundes wide
Not throughly heald, vnreadie were to ride.
Good cause he had to hasten thence away;
For on a day his wary Dwarfe had spide,
Where in a dongeon deepe huge numbers lay
Of caytiue wretched thrals, that wayled night and day.
A ruefull sight, as could beseene with eie;
Of whom he learned had in secret wise
The hidden cause of their captiuitie,
How mortgaging their liues to Couetise,
Through wastfull Pride, and wanton Riotise,
They were by law of that proud Tyrannesse
Prouokt with VVrath, and Enuies false surmise,
Condemned to that Dongeon mercilesse,
Where they should liue in woe, & die in wretchednesse.
There was that great proudking of Babylon,
That would compell all nations to adore,
And him as onely God to call vpon,
Till through celestiall doome throwne out of dore,
Into an Oxe he was transform'd of yore:
There also was king Croesus, that enhaunst
His heart too high through his great riches store;
And proud Antiochus, the which aduaunst
His cursed hand gainst God, and on his altars daunst.
And them long time before,great Nimrod was,
That first the world with sword and fire warrayd;
And after him old Ninus farre did pas
In princely pompe, of all the world obayd;
There also was that mightie Monarch layd
Low vnder all, yet aboue all in pride,
That name of natiue syre did fowle vpbrayd,
And would as Ammons sonne be magnifide,
Till scornd of God and man a shamefull death he dide.
All these together in oneheape were throwne,
Like carkases of beasts in butchers stall.
And in another corner wide were strowne
The antique ruines of the Romaines fall:
Great Romulus the Grandsyre of them all,
Proud Tarquin, and too lordly Lentulus,
Stout Scipio, and stubborne Hanniball,
Ambitious Sylla, and sterne Marius,
High C¾sar, great Pompey, and fierce Antonius.
Amongst these mighty men werewemen mixt,
Proud wemen, vaine, forgetfull of their yoke:
The bold Semiramis, whose sides transfixt
With sonnes owne blade, her fowle reproches spoke;
Faire Sthenoboea, that her selfe did choke
With wilfull cord, for wanting of her will;
High minded Cleopatra, that with stroke
Of Aspes sting her selfe did stoutly kill:
And thousands moe the like, that did that dongeon fill.
Besides the endlesse routs ofwretched thralles,
Which thither were assembled day by day,
From all the world after their wofull falles,
Through wicked pride, and wasted wealthes decay.
But most of all, which in the Dongeon lay
Fell from high Princes courts, or Ladies bowres,
Where they in idle pompe, or wanton play,
Consumed had their goods, and thriftlesse howres,
And lastly throwne themselues into these heauy stowres.
Whose case when as thecarefull Dwarfe had tould,
And made ensample of their mournefull sight
Vnto his maister, he no lenger would
There dwell in perill of like painefull plight,
But early rose, and ere that dawning light
Discouered had the world to heauen wyde,
He by a priuie Posterne tooke his flight,
That of no enuious eyes he mote be spyde:
For doubtlesse death ensewd, if any him descryde.
Scarse could he footing findin that fowle way,
For many corses, like a great Lay-stall
Of murdred men which therein strowed lay,
Without remorse, or decent funerall:
Which all through that great Princesse pride did fall
And came to shamefull end. And them beside
Forth ryding vnderneath the castell wall,
A donghill of dead carkases he spide,
The dreadfull spectacle of that sad house of Pride.
From lawlesse lust by wondrous grace
fayre Vna is releast:
Whom saluage nation does adore,
and learnes her wise beheast.
As when a ship, that flyes faire vnder saile,
An hidden rocke escaped hath vnwares,
That lay in waiteher wrack for tobewaile,
The Marriner yethalfe amazed stares
At perillpast, and yet in doubt ne dares
To ioy at hisfoole-happie ouersight:
So doubly is distrest twixt ioy and cares
The dreadlesse courage of this Elfin knight,
Hauing escapt so sad ensamples in his sight. Yet sad he was that his toohastie speed
The faire Duess' had forst him leaue behind;
And yet more sad, that Vna his deare dreed
Her truth had staind with treason so vnkind;
Yet crime in her could neuer creature find,
But for his loue, and for her owne selfe sake,
She wandred had from one to other Ynd,
Him for to seeke, ne euer would forsake,
Till her vnwares the fierce Sansloy did ouertake.
Who after Archimagoesfowle defeat,
Led her away into a forrest wilde,
And turning wrathfull fire to lustfull heat,
With beastly sin thought her to haue defilde,
And made the vassall of his pleasures vilde.
Yet first he cast by treatie, and by traynes,
Her to perswade, that stubborne fort to yilde:
For greater conquest of hard loue he gaynes,
That workes it to his will, then he that it constraines.
With fawning wordes he courtedher a while,
And looking louely, and oft sighing sore,
Her constant hart did tempt with diuerse guile:
But wordes, and lookes, and sighes she did abhore,
As rocke of Diamond stedfast euermore.
Yet for to feed his fyrie lustfull eye,
He snatcht the vele, that hong her face before;
Then gan her beautie shine, as brightest skye,
And burnt his beastly hart t'efforce her chastitye.
So when he saw his flatt'ringarts to fayle,
And subtile engines bet from batteree,
With greedy force he gan the fort assayle,
Whereof he weend possessed soone to bee,
And win rich spoile of ransackt chastetee.
Ah heauens, that do this hideous act behold,
And heauenly virgin thus outraged see,
How can ye vengeance iust so long withhold,
And hurle not flashing flames vpon that Paynim bold?
The pitteous maiden carefullcomfortlesse,
Does throw out thrilling shriekes, & shrieking cryes,
The last vaine helpe of womens great distresse,
And with loud plaints importuneth the skyes,
That molten starres do drop like weeping eyes;
And Phoebus flying so most shamefull sight,
His blushing face in foggy cloud implyes,
And hides for shame. What wit of mortall wight
Can now deuise to quit a thrall from such a plight?
Eternall prouidence exceedingthought,
Where none appeares can make her selfe a way:
A wondrous way it for this Lady wrought,
From Lyons clawes to pluck the griped pray.
Her shrill outcryes and shriekes so loud did bray,
That all the woodes and forestes did resownd;
A troupe of Faunes and Satyres far away
Within the wood were dauncing in a rownd,
Whiles old Syluanus slept in shady arber sownd.
Who when they heard thatpitteous strained voice,
In hast forsooke their rurall meriment,
And ran towards the far rebownded noyce,
To weet, what wight so loudly did lament.
Vnto the place they come incontinent:
Whom when the raging Sarazin espide,
A rude, misshapen, monstrous rablement,
Whose like he neuer saw, he durst not bide,
But got his ready steed, and fast away gan ride.
The wyld woodgods arriued inthe place,
There find the virgin dolefull desolate,
With ruffled rayments, and faire blubbred face,
As her outrageous foe had left her late,
And trembling yet through feare of former hate;
All stand amazed at so vncouth sight,
And gin to pittie her vnhappie state,
All stand astonied at her beautie bright,
In their rude eyes vnworthie of so wofull plight.
She more amaz'd, in doubledread doth dwell;
And euery tender part for feare does shake:
As when a greedie Wolfe through hunger fell
A seely Lambe farre from the flocke does take,
Of whom he meanes his bloudie feast to make,
A Lyon spyes fast running towards him,
The innocent pray in hast he does forsake,
Which quit from death yet quakes in euery lim
With chaunge of feare, to see the Lyon looke so grim.
Such fearefull fit assaid hertrembling hart,
Ne word to speake, ne ioynt to moue she had:
The saluage nation feele her secret smart,
And read her sorrow in her count'nance sad;
Their frowning forheads with rough hornes yclad,
And rusticke horror all a side doe lay,
And gently grenning, shew a semblance glad
To comfort her, and feare to put away,
Their backward bent knees teach her humbly to obay.
The doubtfull Damzell dare notyet commit
Her single person to their barbarous truth,
But still twixt feare and hope amazd does sit,
Late learnd what harme to hastie trust ensu'th,
They in compassion of her tender youth,
And wonder of her beautie soueraine,
Are wonne with pitty and vnwonted ruth,
And all prostrate vpon the lowly plaine,
Do kisse her feete, and fawne on her with count'nance faine.
Their harts she ghesseth bytheir humble guise,
And yieldes her to extremitie of time;
So from the ground she fearelesse doth arise,
And walketh forth without suspect of crime:
They all as glad, as birdes of ioyous Prime,
Thence lead her forth, about her dauncing round,
Shouting, and singing all a shepheards ryme,
And with greene braunches strowing all the ground,
Do worship her, as Queene, with oliue girlond cround.
And all the way their merrypipes they sound,
That all the woods with doubled Eccho ring,
And with their horned feet do weare the ground,
Leaping like wanton kids in pleasant Spring.
So towards old Syluanus they her bring;
Who with the noyse awaked, commeth out,
To weet the cause, his weake steps gouerning,
And aged limbs on Cypresse stadle stout,
And with an yuie twyne his wast is girt about.
Far off he wonders, what themmakes so glad,
If Bacchus merry fruit they did inuent,
Or Cybeles franticke rites haue made them mad;
They drawing nigh, vnto their God present
That flowre of faith and beautie excellent.
The God himselfe vewing that mirrhour rare,
Stood long amazd, and burnt in his intent;
His owne faire Dryope now he thinkes not faire,
And Pholoe fowle, when her to this he doth compaire.
The woodborne people fallbefore her flat,
And worship her as Goddesse of the wood;
And old Syluanus selfe bethinkes not, what
To thinke of wight so faire, but gazing stood,
In doubt to deeme her borne of earthly brood;
Sometimes Dame Venus selfe he seemes to see,
But Venus neuer had so sober mood;
Sometimes Diana he her takes to bee,
But misseth bow, and shaftes, and buskins to her knee.
By vew of her he ginneth toreuiue
His ancient loue, and dearest Cyparisse,
And calles to mind his pourtraiture aliue,
How faire he was, and yet not faire to this,
And how he slew with glauncing dart amisse
A gentle Hynd, the which the louely boy
Did loue as life, aboue all worldly blisse;
For griefe whereof the lad n'ould after ioy,
But pynd away in anguish and selfe-wild annoy.
The wooddy Nymphes, faire Hamadryades
Her to behold do thither runne apace,
And all the troupe of light-foot Naiades,
Flocke all about to see her louely face:
But when they vewed haue her heauenly grace,
They enuie her in their malitious mind,
And fly away for feare of fowle disgrace:
But all the Satyres scorne their woody kind,
And henceforth nothing faire, but her on earth they find.
Glad of such lucke, theluckelesse lucky maid,
Did her content to please their feeble eyes,
And long time with that saluage people staid,
To gather breath in many miseries.
During which time her gentle wit she plyes,
To teach them truth, which worshipt her in vaine,
And made her th'Image of Idolatryes;
But when their bootlesse zeale she did restraine
Fro[m] her own worship, they her Asse would worship fayn.
It fortuned a noble warlikeknight
By iust occasion to that forrest came,
To seeke his kindred, and the lignage right,
From whence he tooke his well deserued name:
He had in armes abroad wonne muchell fame,
And fild far landes with glorie of his might,
Plaine, faithfull, true, and enimy of shame,
And euer lou'd to fight for Ladies right,
But in vaine glorious frayes he litle did delight.
A Satyres sonne yborne inforrest wyld,
By straunge aduenture as it did betyde,
And there begotten of a Lady myld,
Faire Thyamis the daughter of Labryde,
That was in sacred bands of wedlocke tyde
To Therion, a loose vnruly swayne;
Who had more ioy to raunge the forrest wyde,
And chase the saluage beast with busie payne,
Then serue his Ladies loue, and wast in pleasures vayne.
The forlorne mayd did withloues longing burne,
And could not lacke her louers company,
But to the wood she goes, to serue her turne,
And seeke her spouse, that from her still does fly,
And followes other game and venery:
A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to find,
And kindling coles of lust in brutish eye,
The loyall links of wedlocke did vnbind,
And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind.
So long in secret cabin therehe held
Her captiue to his sensuall desire,
Till that with timely fruit her belly sweld,
And bore a boy vnto that saluage sire:
Then home he suffred her for to retire,
For ransome leauing him the late borne childe;
Whom till to ryper yeares he gan aspire,
He noursled vp in life and manners wilde,
Emongst wild beasts and woods, from lawes of men exilde.
For all he taught the tenderymp, was but
To banish cowardize and bastard feare;
His trembling hand he would him force to put
Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare,
And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare;
And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make
To tame, and ryde their backes not made to beare;
And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake,
That euery beast for feare of him did fly and quake.
Thereby so fearelesse, and sofell he grew,
That his owne sire and maister of his guise
Did often tremble at his horrid vew,
And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise,
The angry beasts not rashly to despise,
Nor too much to prouoke; for he would learne
The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wise,
(A lesson hard) and make the Libbard sterne
Leaue roaring, when in rage he for reuenge did earne.
And for to make his powreapproued more,
Wyld beasts in yron yokes he would compell;
The spotted Panther, and the tusked Bore,
The Pardale swift, and the Tigre cruell;
The Antelope, and Wolfe both fierce and fell;
And them constraine in equall teme to draw.
Such ioy he had, their stubborne harts to quell,
And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw,
That his beheast they feared, as tyrans law,
His louing mother came vpon aday
Vnto the woods, to see her little sonne;
And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way,
After his sportes, and cruell pastime donne,
When after him a Lyonesse did runne,
That roaring all with rage, did lowd requere
Her children deare, whom he away had wonne:
The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare,
And lull in rugged armes, withouten childish feare.
The fearefull Dame all quakedat the sight,
And turning backe, gan fast to fly away,
Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright,
She hardly yet perswaded was to stay,
And then to him these womanish words gan say;
Ah Satyrane, my dearling, and my ioy,
For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play;
To dally thus with death, is no fit toy,
Go find some other play-fellowes, mine own sweet boy.
In these and like delights ofbloudy game
He trayned was, till ryper yeares he raught,
And there abode, whilst any beast of name
Walkt in that forest, whom he had not taught
To feare his force: and then his courage haught
Desird of forreine foemen to be knowne,
And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought:
In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne,
But through all Faery lond his famous worth was blown.
Yet euermore it was his mannerfaire,
After long labours and aduentures spent,
Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire,
To see his sire and offspring auncient.
And now he thither came for like intent;
Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found,
Straunge Lady, in so straunge habiliment,
Teaching the Satyres, which her sat around,
Trew sacred lore, which from her sweet lips did redound.
He wondred at her wisedomeheauenly rare,
Whose like in womens wit he neuer knew;
And when her curteous deeds he did compare,
Gan her admire, and her sad sorrowes rew,
Blaming of Fortune, which such troubles threw,
And ioyd to make proofe of her crueltie
On gentle Dame, so hurtlesse, and so trew:
Thenceforth he kept her goodly company,
And learnd her discipline of faith and veritie.
But she all vowd vnto the Redcrosseknight,
His wandring perill closely did lament,
Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight,
But her deare heart with anguish did torment,
And all her wit in secret counsels spent,
How to escape. At last in priuie wise
To Satyrane she shewed her intent:
Who glad to gain such fauour, gan deuise,
How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise.
So on a day when Satyres allwere gone,
To do their seruice to Syluanus old,
The gentle virgin left behind alone
He led away with courage stout and bold.
Too late it was, to Satyres to be told,
Or euer hope recouer her againe:
In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold.
So fast he carried her with carefull paine,
That they the woods are past, & come now to the plaine.
The better part now of thelingring day,
They traueild had, when as they farre espide
A wearie wight forwandring by the way,
And towards him they gan in hast to ride,
To weet of newes, that did abroad betide,
Or tydings of her knight of the Redcrosse.
But he them spying, gan to turne aside,
For feare as seemd, or for some feigned losse;
More greedy they of newes, fast towards him do crosse.
A silly man, in simple weedesforworne,
And soild with dust of the long dried way;
His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne,
And face all tand with scorching sunny ray,
As he had traueild many a sommers day,
Through boyling sands of Arabie and Ynde;
And in his hand a Iacobs staffe, to stay
His wearie limbes vpon: and eke behind,
His scrip did hang, in which his needments he did bind.
The knight approching nigh, ofhim inquerd
Tydings of warre, and of aduentures new;
But warres, nor new aduentures none he herd.
Then Vna gan to aske, if ought he knew,
Or heard abroad of that her champion trew,
That in his armour bare a croslet red.
Aye me, Deare dame (quoth he) well may I rew
To tell the sad sight, which mine eies haue red:
These eyes did see that knight both liuing and eke ded.
That cruell word her tenderhart so thrild,
That suddein cold did runne through euery vaine,
And stony horrour all her sences fild
With dying fit, that downe she fell for paine.
The knight her lightly reared vp againe,
And comforted with curteous kind reliefe:
Then wonne from death, she bad him tellen plaine
The further processe of her hidden griefe;
The lesser pangs can beare, who hath endur'd the chiefe.
Then gan the Pilgrim thus, Ichaunst this day,
This fatall day, that shall I euer rew,
To see two knights in trauell on my way
(A sory sight) arraung'd in battell new,
Both breathing vengeaunce, both of wrathfull hew:
My fearefull flesh did tremble at their strife,
To see their blades so greedily imbrew,
That drunke with bloud, yet thristed after life:
What more? the Redcrosse knight was slaine with Paynim knife.
Ah dearest Lord (quoth she)how might that bee,
And he the stoutest knight, that euer wonne?
Ah dearest dame (quoth he) how might I see
The thing, that might not be, and yet was donne?
Where is (said Satyrane) that Paynims sonne,
That him of life, and vs of ioy hath reft?
Not far away (quoth he) he hence doth wonne
Foreby a fountaine, where I late him left
Washing his bloudy wounds, that through the steele were cleft.
Therewith the knight thencemarched forth in hast,
Whiles Vna with huge heauinesse opprest,
Could not for sorrow follow him so fast;
And soone he came, as he the place had ghest,
Whereas that Pagan proud him selfe did rest,
In secret shadow by a fountaine side:
Euen he it was, that earst would haue supprest
Faire Vna: whom when Satyrane espide,
With fowle reprochfull words he boldly him defide.
And said, Arise thou cursedMiscreaunt,
That hast with knightlesse guile and trecherous train
Faire knighthood fowly shamed, and doest vaunt
That good knight of the Redcrosse to haue slain:
Arise, and with like treason now maintain
Thy guilty wrong, or else thee guilty yield.
The Sarazin this hearing, rose amain,
And catching vp in hast his three square shield,
And shining helmet, soone him buckled to the field.
And drawing nigh him said, Ahmisborne Elfe,
In euill houre thy foes thee hither sent,
Anothers wrongs to wreake vpon thy selfe:
Yet ill thou blamest me, for hauing blent
My name with guile and traiterous intent;
That Redcrosse knight, perdie, I neuer slew,
But had he beene, where earst his armes were lent,
Th'enchaunter vaine his errour should not rew:
But thou his errour shalt, I hope now prouen trew.
Therewith they gan, bothfurious and fell,
To thunder blowes, and fiersly to assaile
Each other bent his enimy to quell,
That with their force they perst both plate and maile,
And made wide furrowes in their fleshes fraile,
That it would pitty any liuing eie.
Large floods of bloud adowne their sides did raile;
But floods of bloud could not them satisfie:
Both hungred after death: both chose to win, or die.
So long they fight, and fellreuenge pursue,
That fainting each, themselues to breathen let,
And oft refreshed, battell oft renue:
As when two Bores with rancling malice met,
Their gory sides fresh bleeding fiercely fret,
Til breathlesse both them selues aside retire,
Where foming wrath, their cruell tuskes they whet,
And trample th'earth, the whiles they may respire;
Then backe to fight againe, new breathed and entire.
So fiersly, when these knightshad breathed once,
They gan to fight returne, increasing more
Their puissant force, and cruell rage attonce,
With heaped strokes more hugely, then before,
That with their drerie wounds and bloudy gore
They both deformed, scarsely could be known.
By this sad Vna fraught with anguish sore,
Led with their noise, which through the aire was thrown:
Arriu'd, where they in erth their fruitles bloud had sown.
Whom all so soone as thatproud Sarazin
Espide, he gan reuiue the memory
Of his lewd lusts, and late attempted sin,
And left the doubtfull battell hastily,
To catch her, newly offred to his eie:
But Satyrane with strokes him turning, staid,
And sternely bad him other businesse plie,
Then hunt the steps of pure vnspotted Maid:
Wherewith he all enrag'd, these bitter speaches said.
O foolish faeries sonne, whatfurie mad
Hath thee incenst, to hast thy dolefull fate?
Were it not better, I that Lady had,
Then that thou hadst repented it too late?
Most sencelesse man he, that himselfe doth hate,
To loue another. Lo then for thine ayd
Here take thy louers token on thy pate.
So they to fight; the whiles the royall Mayd
Fled farre away, of that proud Paynim sore afrayd.
But that false Pilgrim,which that leasing told,
Being in deed old Archimage, did stay
In secret shadow, all this to behold,
And much reioyced in their bloudy fray:
But when he saw the Damsell passe away
He left his stond, and her pursewd apace,
In hope to bring her to her last decay.
But for to tell her lamentable cace,
And eke this battels end, will need another place.
The Redcrosse knight is captiue made
By Gyaunt proud opprest,
Prince Arthur meets with Vna great-
ly with those newes distrest.
What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware,
As to descry the crafty cunning traine,
By which deceipt doth maske in visour faire,
And cast her colours dyed deepe in graine,
To seeme like Truth, whose shape she well can faine,
And fitting gestures to her purpose frame;
The guiltlesse man with guile to entertaine?
Great maistresse of her art was that false Dame,
The false Duessa, cloked with Fidessaes name. Who when returning from thedrery Night,
She fownd not in that perilous house of Pryde,
Where she had left, the noble Redcrosse knight,
Her hoped pray, she would no lenger bide,
But forth she went, to seeke him far and wide.
Ere long she fownd, whereas he wearie sate,
To rest him selfe, foreby a fountaine side,
Disarmed all of yron-coted Plate,
And by his side his steed the grassy forage ate.
He feedes vpon the coolingshade, and bayes
His sweatie forehead in the breathing wind,
Which through the tre[m]bling leaues full gently playes
Wherein the cherefull birds of sundry kind
Do chaunt sweet musick, to delight his mind:
The Witch approching gan him fairely greet,
And with reproch of carelesnesse vnkind
Vpbrayd, for leauing her in place vnmeet,
With fowle words tempring faire, soure gall with hony sweet.
Vnkindnesse past, they gan ofsolace treat,
And bathe in pleasaunce of the ioyous shade,
Which shielded them against the boyling heat,
And with greene boughes decking a gloomy glade,
About the fountaine like a girlond made;
Whose bubbling waue did euer freshly well,
Ne euer would through feruent sommer fade:
The sacred Nymph, which therein wont to dwell,
Was out of Dianes fauour, as it then befell.
The cause was this: one daywhen Phoebe fayre
With all her band was following the chace,
This Nymph, quite tyr'd with heat of scorching ayre,
Sat downe to rest in middest of the race:
The goddesse wroth gan fowly her disgrace,
And bad the waters, which from her did flow,
Be such as she her selfe was then in place.
Thenceforth her waters waxed dull and slow,
And all that drunke thereof, did faint and feeble grow.
Hereof this gentle knightvnweeting was,
And lying downe vpon the sandie graile,
Drunke of the streame, as cleare as cristall glas;
Eftsoones his manly forces gan to faile,
And mightie strong was turnd to feeble fraile.
His chaunged powres at first them selues not felt,
Till crudled cold his corage gan assaile,
And chearefull bloud in faintnesse chill did melt,
Which like a feuer fit through all his body swelt.
Yet goodly court he made stillto his Dame,
Pourd out in loosnesse on the grassy grownd,
Both carelesse of his health, and of his fame:
Till at the last he heard a dreadfull sownd,
Which through the wood loud bellowing, did rebownd,
That all the earth for terrour seemd to shake,
And trees did tremble. Th'Elfe therewith astownd,
Vpstarted lightly from his looser make,
And his vnready weapons gan in hand to take.
But ere he could his armour onhim dight,
Or get his shield, his monstrous enimy
With sturdie steps came stalking in his sight,
An hideous Geant horrible and hye,
That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye,
The ground eke groned vnder him for dreed;
His liuing like saw neuer liuing eye,
Ne durst behold: his stature did exceed
The hight of three the tallest sonnes of mortall seed.
The greatest Earth his vncouthmother was,
And blustring AEolus his boasted sire,
Who with his breath, which through the world doth pas,
Her hollow womb did secretly inspire,
And fild her hidden caues with stormie yre,
That she conceiu'd; and trebling the dew time,
In which the wombes of women do expire,
Brought forth this monstrous masse of earthly slime,
Puft vp with emptie wind, and fild with sinfull crime.
So growen great througharrogant delight
Of th'high descent, whereof he was yborne,
And through presumption of his matchlesse might,
All other powres and knighthood he did scorne.
Such now he marcheth to this man forlorne,
And left to losse: his stalking steps are stayde
Vpon a snaggy Oke, which he had torne
Out of his mothers bowelles, and it made
His mortall mace, wherewith his foemen he dismayde.
That when the knight he spide,he gan aduance
With huge force and insupportable mayne,
And towardes him with dreadfull fury praunce;
Who haplesse, and eke hopelesse, all in vaine
Did to him pace, sad battaile to darrayne,
Disarmd, disgrast, and inwardly dismayde,
And eke so faint in euery ioynt and vaine,
Through that fraile fountaine, which him feeble made,
That scarsely could he weeld his bootlesse single blade.
The Geaunt strooke so maynlymercilesse,
That could haue ouerthrowne a stony towre,
And were not heauenly grace, that him did blesse,
He had beene pouldred all, as thin as flowre:
But he was wary of that deadly stowre,
And lightly lept from vnderneath the blow:
Yet so exceeding was the villeins powre,
That with the wind it did him ouerthrow,
And all his sences stound, that still he lay full low.
As when that diuelish yronEngin wrought
In deepest Hell, and framd by Furies skill,
With windy Nitre and quick Sulphur fraught,
And ramd with bullet round, ordaind to kill,
Conceiueth fire, the heauens it doth fill
With thundring noyse, and all the ayre doth choke,
That none can breath, nor see, nor heare at will,
Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smoke,
That th'onely breath him daunts, who hath escapt the stroke.
So daunted when the Geaunt sawthe knight,
His heauie hand he heaued vp on hye,
And him to dust thought to haue battred quight,
Vntill Duessa loud to him gan crye;
O great Orgoglio, greatest vnder skye,
O hold thy mortall hand for Ladies sake,
Hold for my sake, and do him not to dye,
But vanquisht thine eternall bondslaue make,
And me thy worthy meed vnto thy Leman take.
He hearkned, and did stay fromfurther harmes,
To gayne so goodly guerdon, as she spake:
So willingly she came into his armes,
Who her as willingly to grace did take,
And was possessed of his new found make.
Then vp he tooke the slombred sencelesse corse,
And ere he could out of his swowne awake,
Him to his castle brought with hastie forse,
And in a Dongeon deepe him threw without remorse.
From that day forth Duessawas his deare,
And highly honourd in his haughtie eye,
He gaue her gold and purple pall to weare,
And triple crowne set on her head full hye,
And her endowd with royall maiestye:
Then for to make her dreaded more of men,
And peoples harts with awfull terrour tye,
A monstrous beast ybred in filthy fen
He chose, which he had kept long time in darksome den.
Such one it was, as thatrenowmed Snake
Which great Alcides in Stremona slew,
Long fostred in the filth of Lerna lake,
Whose many heads out budding euer new,
Did breed him endlesse labour to subdew:
But this same Monster much more vgly was;
For seuen great heads out of his body grew,
An yron brest, and backe of scaly bras,
And all embrewd in bloud, his eyes did shine as glas.
His tayle was stretched out inwondrous length,
That to the house of heauenly gods it raught,
And with extorted powre, and borrow'd strength,
The euer-burning lamps from thence it braught,
And prowdly threw to ground, as things of naught;
And vnderneath his filthy feet did tread
The sacred things, and holy heasts foretaught.
Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuenfold head
He set the false Duessa, for more aw and dread.
The wofull Dwarfe, which sawhis maisters fall,
Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed,
And valiant knight become a caytiue thrall,
When all was past, tooke vp his forlorne weed,
His mightie armour, missing most at need;
His siluer shield, now idle maisterlesse;
His poynant speare, that many made to bleed,
The ruefull moniments of heauinesse,
And with them all departes, to tell his great distresse.
He had not trauaild long, whenon the way
He wofull Ladie, wofull Vna met,
Fast flying from the Paynims greedy pray,
Whilest Satyrane him from pursuit did let:
Who when her eyes she on the Dwarf had set,
And saw the signes, that deadly tydings spake,
She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret,
And liuely breath her sad brest did forsake,
Yet might her pitteous hart be seene to pant and quake.
The messenger of so vnhappienewes
Would faine haue dyde: dead was his hart within,
Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes:
At last recouering hart, he does begin
To rub her temples, and to chaufe her chin,
And euery tender part does tosse and turne:
So hardly he the flitted life does win,
Vnto her natiue prison to retourne:
Then gins her grieued ghost thus to lament and mourne.
Ye dreary instruments ofdolefull sight,
That doe this deadly spectacle behold,
Why do ye lenger feed on loathed light,
Or liking find to gaze on earthly mould,
Sith cruell fates the carefull threeds vnfould,
The which my life and loue together tyde?
Now let the stony dart of senselesse cold
Perce to my hart, and pas through euery side,
And let eternall night so sad [sight] fro me hide.
O lightsome day, the lampe ofhighest Ioue,
First made by him, mens wandring wayes to guyde,
When darknesse he in deepest dongeon droue,
Henceforth thy hated face for euer hyde,
And shut vp heauens windowes shyning wyde:
For earthly sight can nought but sorow breed,
And late repentance, which shall long abyde.
Mine eyes no more on vanitie shall feed,
But seeled vp with death, shall haue their deadly meed.
Then downe againe she fellvnto the ground;
But he her quickly reared vp againe:
Thrise did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd,
And thrise he her reviu'd with busie paine:
At last when life recouer'd had the raine,
And ouer-wrestled his strong enemie,
With foltring tong, and trembling euery vaine,
Tell on (quoth she) the wofull Tragedie,
The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eie.
Tempestuous fortune hath spentall her spight,
And thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost dart;
Thy sad tongue cannot tell more heauy plight,
Then that I feele, and harbour in mine hart:
Who hath endur'd the whole, can beare each part.
If death it be, it is not the first wound,
That launched hath my brest with bleeding smart.
Begin, and end the bitter balefull stound;
If lesse, then that I feare, more fauour I haue found.
Then gan the Dwarfe the wholediscourse declare,
The subtill traines of Archimago old;
The wanton loues of false Fidessa faire,
Bought with the bloud of vanquisht Paynim bold:
The wretched payre transform'd to treen mould;
The house of Pride, and perils round about;
The combat, which he with Sansioy did hould;
The lucklesse conflict with the Gyant stout,
Wherein captiu'd, of life or death he stood in doubt.
She heard with patience allvnto the end,
And stroue to maister sorrowfull assay,
Which greater grew, the more she did contend,
And almost rent her tender hart in tway;
And loue fresh coles vnto her fire did lay:
For greater loue, the greater is the losse.
Was neuer Ladie loued dearer day,
Then she did loue the knight of the Redcrosse;
For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse.
At last when feruent sorrowslaked was,
She vp arose, resoluing him to find
A liue or dead: and forward forth doth pas,
All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd:
And euermore in constant carefull mind
She fed her wound with fresh renewed bale;
Long tost with stormes, and bet with bitter wind,
High ouer hils, and low adowne the dale,
She wandred many a wood, and measurd many a vale.
At last she chaunced by goodhap to meet
A goodly knight, faire marching by the way
Together with his Squire, arayed meet:
His glitterand armour shined farre away,
Like glauncing light of Phoebus brightest ray;
From top to toe no place appeared bare,
That deadly dint of steele endanger may:
Athwart his brest a bauldrick braue he ware,
That shynd, like twinkling stars, with stons most pretious rare.
And in the midst thereof onepretious stone
Of wondrous worth, and eke of wondrous mights,
Shapt like a Ladies head, exceeding shone,
Like Hesperus emongst the lesser lights,
And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights;
Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong
In yuory sheath, ycaru'd with curious slights;
Whose hilts were burnisht gold, and handle strong
Of mother pearle, and buckled with a golden tong.
His haughtie helmet, horridall with gold,
Both glorious brightnesse, and great terrour bred;
For all the crest a Dragon did enfold
With greedie pawes, and ouer all did spred
His golden wings: his dreadfull hideous hed
Close couched on the beuer, seem'd to throw
From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red,
That suddeine horror to faint harts did show;
And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low.
Vpon the top of all his loftiecrest,
A bunch of haires discolourd diuersly,
With sprincled pearle, and gold full richly drest,
Did shake, and seem'd to daunce for iollity,
Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye
On top of greene Selinis all alone,
With blossomes braue bedecked daintily;
Whose tender locks do tremble euery one
At euery little breath, that vnder heauen is blowne.
His warlike shield all closelycouer'd was,
Ne might of mortall eye be euer seene;
Not made of steele, nor of enduring bras,
Such earthly mettals soone consumed bene:
But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene
It framed was, one massie entire mould,
Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene,
That point of speare it neuer percen could,
Ne dint of direfull sword diuide the substance would.
The same to wight he neuerwont disclose,
But when as monsters huge he would dismay,
Or daunt vnequall armies of his foes,
Or when the flying heauens he would affray;
For so exceeding shone his glistring ray,
That Phoebus golden face it did attaint,
As when a cloud his beames doth ouer-lay;
And siluer Cynthia wexed pale and faint,
As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint.
No magicke arts hereof had anymight,
Nor bloudie wordes of bold Enchaunters call,
But all that was not such, as seemd in sight,
Before that shield did fade, and suddeine fall:
And when him list the raskall routes appall,
Men into stones therewith he could transmew,
And stones to dust, and dust to nought at all;
And when him list the prouder lookes subdew,
He would them gazing blind, or turne to other hew.
Ne let it seeme, that credencethis exceedes,
For he that made the same, was knowne right well
To haue done much more admirable deedes.
It Merlin was, which whylome did excell
All liuing wightes in might of magicke spell:
Both shield, and sword, and armour all he wrought
For this young Prince, when first to armes he fell;
But when he dyde, the Faerie Queene it brought
To Faerie lond, where yet it may be seene, if sought.
A gentle youth, his dearelyloued Squire
His speare of heben wood behind him bare,
Whose harmefull head, thrice heated in the fire,
Had riuen many a brest with pikehead square;
A goodly person, and could menage faire
His stubborne steed with curbed canon bit,
Who vnder him did trample as the aire,
And chauft, that any on his backe should sit;
The yron rowels into frothy fome he bit.
When as this knight nigh tothe Ladie drew,
With louely court he gan her entertaine;
But when he heard her answeres loth, he knew
Some secret sorrow did her heart distraine:
Which to allay, and calme her storming paine,
Faire feeling words he wisely gan display,
And for her humour fitting purpose faine,
To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray;
Wherewith emmou'd, these bleeding words she gan to say.
What worlds delight, or ioy ofliuing speach
Can heart, so plung'd in sea of sorrowes deepe,
And heaped with so huge misfortunes, reach?
The carefull cold beginneth for to creepe,
And in my heart his yron arrow steepe,
Soone as I thinke vpon my bitter bale:
Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keepe,
Then rip vp griefe, where it may not auaile,
My last left comfort is, my woes to weepe and waile.
Ah Ladie deare, quoth then thegentle knight,
Well may I weene, your griefe is wondrous great;
For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright,
Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat.
But wofull Ladie let me you intrete,
For to vnfold the anguish of your hart:
Mishaps are maistred by aduice discrete,
And counsell mittigates the greatest smart;
Found neuer helpe, who neuer would his hurts impart.
O but (quoth she) great griefewill not be tould,
And can more easily be thought, then said.
Right so; (quoth he) but he, that neuer would,
Could neuer: will to might giues greatest aid.
But griefe (quoth she) does greater grow displaid,
If then it find not helpe, and breedes despaire.
Despaire breedes not (quoth he) where faith is staid.
No faith so fast (quoth she) but flesh does paire.
Flesh may empaire (quoth he) but reason can repaire.
His goodly reason, and wellguided speach
So deepe did settle in her gratious thought,
That her perswaded to disclose the breach,
Which loue and fortune in her heart had wrought,
And said; faire Sir, I hope good hap hath brought
You to inquere the secrets of my griefe,
Or that your wisedome will direct my thought,
Or that your prowesse can me yield reliefe:
Then heare the storie sad, which I shall tell you briefe.
The forlorne Maiden, whom youreyes haue seene
The laughing stocke of fortunes mockeries,
Am th'only daughter of a King and Queene,
Whose parents deare, whilest equall destinies
Did runne about, and their felicities
The fauourable heauens did not enuy,
Did spread their rule through all the territories,
Which Phison and Euphrates floweth by,
And Gehons golden waues doe wash continually.
Till that their cruell cursedenemy,
An huge great Dragon horrible in sight,
Bred in the loathly lakes of Tartary,
With murdrous rauine, and deuouring might
Their kingdome spoild, and countrey wasted quight:
Themselues, for feare into his iawes to fall,
He forst to castle strong to take their flight,
Where fast embard in mightie brasen wall,
He has them now foure yeres besiegd to make the[m] thrall.
Full many knights aduenturousand stout
Haue enterprizd that Monster to subdew;
From euery coast that heauen walks about,
Haue thither come the noble Martiall crew,
That famous hard atchieuements still pursew,
Yet neuer any could that girlond win,
But all still shronke, and still he greater grew:
All they for want of faith, or guilt of sin,
The pitteous pray of his fierce crueltie haue bin.
At last yledd with farrereported praise,
Which flying fame throughout the world had spred,
Of doughtie knights, whom Faery land did raise,
That noble order hight of Maidenhed,
Forthwith to court of Gloriane I sped,
Of Gloriane great Queene of glory bright,
Whose kingdomes seat Cleopolis is red,
There to obtaine some such redoubted knight,
That Parents deare from tyrants powre deliuer might.
It was my chance (my chancewas faire and good)
There for to find a fresh vnproued knight,
Whose manly hands imbrew'd in guiltie blood
Had neuer bene, ne euer by his might
Had throwne to ground the vnregarded right:
Yet of his prowesse proofe he since hath made
(I witnesse am) in many a cruell fight;
The groning ghosts of many one dismaide
Haue felt the bitter dint of his auenging blade.
And ye the forlorne reliquesof his powre,
His byting sword, and his deuouring speare,
Which haue endured many a dreadfull stowre,
Can speake his prowesse, that did earst you beare,
And well could rule: now he hath left you heare,
To be the record of his ruefull losse,
And of my dolefull disauenturous deare:
O heauie record of the good Redcrosse,
Where haue you left your Lord, that could so well you tosse?
Well hoped I, and fairebeginnings had,
That he my captiue langour should redeeme,
Till all vnweeting, an Enchaunter bad
His sence abusd, and made him to misdeeme
My loyalty, not such as it did seeme;
That rather death desire, then such despight.
Be iudge ye heauens, that all things right esteeme,
How I him lou'd, and loue with all my might,
So thought I eke of him, and thinke I thought aright.
Thenceforth me desolate hequite forsooke,
To wander, where wilde fortune would me lead,
And other bywaies he himselfe betooke,
Where neuer foot of liuing wight did tread,
That brought not backe the balefull body dead;
In which him chaunced false Duessa meete,
Mine onely foe, mine onely deadly dread,
Who with her witchcraft and misseeming sweete,
Inueigled him to follow her desires vnmeete.
At last by subtill sleightsshe him betraid
Vnto his foe, a Gyant huge and tall,
Who him disarmed, dissolute, dismaid,
Vnwares surprised, and with mightie mall
The monster mercilesse him made to fall,
Whose fall did neuer foe before behold;
And now in darkesome dungeon, wretched thrall,
Remedilesse, for aie he doth him hold;
This is my cause of griefe, more great, then may be told.
Ere she had ended all, she ganto faint:
But he her comforted and faire bespake,
Certes, Madame, ye haue great cause of plaint,
That stoutest heart, I weene, could cause to quake.
But be of cheare, and comfort to you take:
For till I haue acquit your captiue knight,
Assure your selfe, I will you not forsake.
His chearefull words reuiu'd her chearelesse spright,
So forth they went, the Dwarfe them guiding euer right.
Faire virgin to redeeme her deare
brings Arthur to the fight,
Who slayes the Gyant, wounds the beast,
and strips Duessa quight.
Ay me, how many perils doe enfold
The righteous man, to make him daily fall?
Were not, thatheauenly grace doth himvphold,
Andstedfast truth acquite him out of all.
Her loue is firme,her care continuall,
So oft as hethrough his owne foolishpride,
Or weaknesse is tosinfull bands madethrall:
Else should this Redcrosseknightin bands haue dyde,
For whose deliuerance she this Prince doth thither guide. They sadly traueild thus,vntill they came
Nigh to a castlebuilded strong and hie:
Then cryde theDwarfe, lo yonder is thesame,
In which my Lord myliege doth lucklesselie,
Thrall to that Gyants hatefull tyrannie:
Therefore, deareSir, your mightie powresassay.
The noble knightalighted by and by
From loftie steede,and bad the Ladiestay,
To see what end of fight should him befall that day.
So with the Squire, th'admirerof his might,
He marched forthtowards that castle wall;
Whose gates hefound fast shut, ne liuingwight
To ward the same,nor answere commerscall.
Then tooke thatSquire an horne of buglesmall,
Which hong adownehis side in twistedgold,
And tassels gay.Wyde wonders ouer all
Of that same hornesgreat vertues werentold,
Which had approued bene in vses manifold.
Was neuer wight, that heardthat shrilling sound,
But trembling feare did feele in euery vaine;
Three miles itmight be easie heardaround,
And Ecchoes threeanswerd it selfe againe:
No falseenchauntment, nor deceiptfulltraine
Might once abidethe terror of that blast,
But presently wasvoide and wholly vaine:
No gate so strong,no locke so firme andfast,
But with that percing noise flew open quite, or brast.
The same before the Geantsgate he blew,
That all the castlequaked from theground,
And euery dore offreewill open flew.
The Gyant selfedismaied with that sownd,
Where he with his Duessadalliance fownd,
In hast camerushing forth from innerbowre,
With staringcountenance sterne, as oneastownd,
And staggeringsteps, to weet, whatsuddein stowre
Had wrought that horror strange, and dar'd his dreaded powre.
And after him the proud Duessacame,
High mounted on hermanyheaded beast,
And euery head withfyrie tongue didflame,
And euery head wascrowned on his creast,
And bloudie mouthedwith late cruellfeast.
That when theknight beheld, his mightieshild
Vpon his manly armehe soone addrest,
And at him fiercelyflew, with couragefild,
And eger greedinesse through euery member thrild.
Therewith the Gyant buckledhim to fight,
Inflam'd withscornefull wrath and highdisdaine,
And lifting vp hisdreadfull club onhight,
All arm'd withragged snubbes and knottiegraine,
Him thought atfirst encounter to haueslaine,
But wise and wariewas that noble Pere,
And lightly leapingfrom so monstrousmaine,
Did faire auoidethe violence him nere;
It booted nought, to thinke, such thunderbolts to beare.
Ne shame he thought to shunneso hideous might:
The idle stroke,enforcing furious way,
Missing the markeof his misaymed sight
Did fall to ground,and with his heauiesway
So deepely dintedin the driuen clay,
That three yardesdeepe a furrow vp didthrow:
The sad earthwounded with so sore assay,
Did grone fullgrieuous vnderneath theblow,
And trembling with strange feare, did like an earthquake show.
As when almightie Iouein wrathfull mood,
To wreake the guiltof mortall sins isbent,
Hurles forth histhundring dart withdeadly food,
Enrold in flames,and smouldringdreriment,
Through riuencloudes and moltenfirmament;
The fiercethreeforked engin making way,
Both loftie towresand highest trees hathrent,
And all that mighthis angrie passagestay,
And shooting in the earth, casts vp a mount of clay.
His boystrous club, so buriedin the ground,
He could not rearenvp againe so light,
But that the knighthim at auantage found,
And whiles hestroue his combred clubbeto quight
Out of the earth,with blade all burningbright
He smote off hisleft arme, which like ablocke
Did fall to ground,depriu'd of natiuemight;
Large streames ofbloud out of thetruncked stocke
Forth gushed, like fresh water streame from riuen rocke.
Dismaied with so desperatedeadly wound,
And eke impatientof vnwonted paine,
He loudly braydwith beastly yellingsound,
That all the fieldsrebellowed againe;
As great a noyse,as when in Cymbrianplaine
An heard of Bulles,whom kindly rage dothsting,
Do for the milkiemothers want complaine,
And fill the fieldswith troublousbellowing,
The neighbour woods around with hollow murmur ring.
That when his deare Duessaheard, and saw
The euill stownd,that daungerd herestate,
Vnto his aide shehastily did draw
Her dreadfullbeast, who swolne withbloud of late
Came ramping forthwith proudpresumpteous gate,
And threatned allhis heads like flamingbrands.
But him the Squiremade quickly toretrate,
Encountring fiercewith single sword inhand,
And twixt him and his Lord did like a bulwarke stand.
The proud Duessa fullof wrathfull spight,
And fiercedisdaine, to be affronted so,
Enforst her purplebeast with all hermight
That stop out ofthe way to ouerthroe,
Scorning the let ofso vnequall foe:
But nathemore wouldthat courageous swayne
To her yeeldpassage, gainst his Lord togoe,
But with outrageousstrokes did himrestraine,
And with his bodie bard the way atwixt them twaine.
Then tooke the angrie witchher golden cup,
Which still shebore, replete with magickartes;
Death and despeyredid many thereof sup,
And secret poysonthrough their innerparts,
Th'eternall bale ofheauie wounded harts;
Which after charmesand someenchauntments said,
She lightlysprinkled on his weaker parts;
Therewith hissturdie courage soone wasquayd,
And all his senses were with suddeine dread dismayd.
So downe he fell before thecruell beast,
Who on his neckehis bloudie clawes didseize,
That life nighcrusht out of his pantingbrest:
No powre he had tostirre, nor will torize.
That when thecarefull knight gan wellauise,
He lightly left thefoe, with whom hefought,
And to the beastgan turne his enterprise;
For wondrousanguish in his hart itwrought,
To see his loued Squire into such thraldome brought.
And high aduauncing hisbloud-thirstie blade,
Stroke one of thosedeformed heads sosore,
That of hispuissance proud ensample made;
His monstrousscalpe downe to his teethit tore,
And that misformedshape mis-shaped more:
A sea of bloudgusht from the gapingwound,
That her gaygarments staynd with filthygore,
And ouerflowed allthe field around;
That ouer shoes in bloud he waded on the ground.
Thereat he roared forexceeding paine,
That to haue heard,great horror wouldhaue bred,
And scourgingth'emptie ayre with hislong traine,
Through greatimpatience of his grieuedhed
His gorgeous ryderfrom her loftie sted
Would haue castdowne, and trod in durtiemyre,
Had not the Gyantsoone her succoured;
Who all enrag'dwith smart and frantickeyre,
Came hurtling in full fierce, and forst the knight retyre.
The force, which wont in twoto be disperst,
In one alone lefthand he now vnites,
Which is throughrage more strong thenboth were erst;
With which hishideous club aloft hedites,
And at his foe withfurious rigour smites,
That strongest Oakemight seeme toouerthrow.
The stroke vpon hisshield so heauielites,
That to the groundit doubleth him fulllow
What mortall wight could euer beare so monstrous blow?
And in his fall his shield,that couered was,
Did loose his veleby chaunce, and openflew:
The light whereof,that heauens light didpas,
Such blazingbrightnesse through the aierthrew,
That eye mote notthe same endure to vew.
Which when theGyaunt spyde with staringeye,
He downe let fallhis arme, and softwithdrew
His weapon huge,that heaued was on hye
For to haue slaine the man, that on the ground did lye.
And eke the fruitfull-headedbeast, amaz'd
At flashing beamesof that sunshinyshield,
Became starkeblind, and all his sensesdaz'd,
That downe hetumbled on the durtie field,
And seem'd himselfeas conquered to yield.
Whom when hismaistresse proud perceiu'dto fall,
Whiles yet hisfeeble feet for faintnessereeld,
Vnto the Gyantloudly she gan call,
O helpe Orgoglio, helpe, or else we perish all.
At her so pitteous cry wasmuch amoou'd
Her champion stout,and for to ayde hisfrend,
Againe his wontedangry weapon proou'd:
But all in vaine:for he has read his end
In that brightshield, and all theirforces spend
Themselues invaine: for since thatglauncing sight,
He hath no powre tohurt, nor to defend;
As whereth'Almighties lightning bronddoes light,
It dimmes the dazed eyen, and daunts the senses quight.
Whom when the Prince, tobattell new addrest,
And threatning highhis dreadfull strokedid see,
His sparkling bladeabout his head heblest,
And smote off quitehis right leg by theknee,
That downe hetombled; as an aged tree,
High growing on thetop of rocky clift,
Whose hartstringswith keene steele nighhewen be,
The mightie trunckhalfe rent, withragged rift
Doth roll adowne the rocks, and fall with fearefull drift.
Or as a Castle reared high andround,
By subtile enginsand malitious slight
Is vndermined fromthe lowest ground
And her foundationforst, and feebledquight,
At last downefalles, and with her heapedhight
Her hastie ruinedoes more heauie make,
And yields it selfevnto the victoursmight;
Such was thisGyaunts fall, that seemd toshake
The stedfast globe of earth, as it for feare did quake.
The knight then lightlyleaping to the pray,
With mortall steelehim smot againe sosore,
That headlesse hisvnweldy bodie lay,
All wallowd in hisowne fowle bloudy gore,
Which flowed fromhis wounds in wondrousstore,
But soone as breathout of his breast didpas,
That huge greatbody, which the Gyauntbore,
Was vanisht quite,and of that monstrousmas
Was nothing left, but like an emptie bladder was.
Whose grieuous fall, whenfalse Duessa spide,
Her golden cup shecast vnto the ground,
And crowned mitrerudely threw aside;
Such percing griefeher stubborne hartdid wound,
That she could notendure that dolefullstound,
But leauing allbehind her, fled away:
The light-footSquire her quickly turndaround,
And by hard meanesenforcing her to stay,
So brought vnto his Lord, as his deserued pray.
The royall Virgin, whichbeheld from farre,
In pensiue plight,and sad perplexitie,
The wholeatchieuement of this doubtfullwarre,
Came running fastto greet his victorie,
With sobergladnesse, and myld modestie,
And with sweetioyous cheare him thusbespake;
Faire braunch ofnoblesse, flowre ofcheualrie,
That with yourworth the world amazedmake,
How shall I quite the paines, ye suffer for my sake?
And you fresh bud of vertuespringing fast,
Whom these sad eyessaw nigh vnto deathsdore,
What hath pooreVirgin for such perillpast,
Wherewith you toreward? Accept therefore
My simple selfe,and seruice euermore;
And he that highdoes sit, and all thingssee
With equall eyes,their merites torestore,
Behold what ye thisday haue done for mee,
And what I cannot quite, requite with vsuree.
But sith the heauens, and yourfaire handeling
Haue made youmaister of the field thisday,
Your fortunemaister eke with gouerning,
And well begun endall so well, I pray,
Ne let that wickedwoman scape away;
For she it is, thatdid my Lord bethrall,
My dearest Lord,and deepe in dongeon lay,
Where he his betterdayes hath wasted all.
O heare, how piteous he to you for ayd does call.
Forthwith he gaue in chargevnto his Squire,
That scarlot whoreto keepen carefully;
Whiles he himselfewith greedie greatdesire
Into the Castleentred forcibly,
Where liuingcreature none he did espye;
Then gan he lowdlythrough the house tocall:
But no man car'd toanswere to his crye.
There raignd asolemne silence ouer all,
Nor voice was heard, nor wight was seene in bowre or hall.
At last with creeping crookedpace forth came
An old old man,with beard as white assnow,
That on a staffehis feeble steps didframe,
And guide hiswearie gate both too andfro:
For his eye sighthim failed long ygo,
And on his arme abounch of keyes he bore,
The which vnusedrust did ouergrow:
Those were thekeyes of euery inner dore,
But he could not them vse, but kept them still in store.
But very vncouth sight was tobehold,
How he did fashionhis vntoward pace,
For as he forwardmoou'd his footing old,
So backward stillwas turnd his wrincledface,
Vnlike to men, whoeuer as they trace,
Both feet and faceone way are wont tolead.
This was theauncient keeper of thatplace,
And foster fatherof the Gyant dead;
His name Ignaro did his nature right aread.
His reuerend haires and holygrauitie
The knight muchhonord, as beseemed well,
And gently askt,where all the people bee,
Which in thatstately building wont todwell.
Who answerd himfull soft, he could nottell.
Againe he askt,where that same knightwas layd,
Whom great Orgogliowith hispuissaunce fell
Had made hiscaytiue thrall; againe hesayde,
He could not tell: ne euer other answere made.
Then asked he, which way he inmight pas:
He could not tell,againe he answered.
Thereat thecurteous knight displeasedwas,
And said, Old sire,it seemes thou hastnot red
How ill it sitswith that same siluer hed
In vaine to mocke,or mockt in vaine tobee:
But if thou be, asthou art pourtrahed
With natures pen,in ages graue degree,
Aread in grauer wise, what I demaund of thee.
His answere likewise was, hecould not tell.
Whose sencelessspeach, and dotedignorance
When as the noblePrince had marked well,
He ghest his natureby his countenance,
And calmd his wrathwith goodlytemperance.
Then to himstepping, from his arme didreach
Those keyes, andmade himselfe freeenterance.
Each dore he openedwithout any breach;
There was no barre to stop, nor foe him to empeach.
There all within full richarayd he found,
With royall arrasand resplendent gold.
And did with storeof euery thing abound,
That greatestPrinces presence mightbehold.
But all the floore(too filthy to be told)
With bloud ofguiltlesse babes, andinnocents trew,
Which there wereslaine, as sheepe out ofthe fold,
Defiled was, thatdreadfull was to vew,
And sacred ashes ouer it was strowed new.
And there beside of marblestone was built
An Altare, caru'dwith cunning imagery,
On which trueChristians bloud was oftenspilt,
And holy Martyrsoften doen to dye,
With cruell maliceand strong tyranny:
Whose blessedsprites from vnderneath thestone
To God forvengeance cryde continually,
And with greatgriefe were often heard togrone,
That hardest heart would bleede, to heare their piteous mone.
Through euery rowme he sought,and euery bowr,
But no where couldhe find that wofullthrall:
At last he camevnto an yron doore,
That fast waslockt, but key found not atall
Emongst thatbounch, to open it withall;
But in the same alittle grate was pight,
Through which hesent his voyce, and lowddid call
With all his powre,to weet, if liuingwight
Were housed therewithin, whom he enlargen might.
Therewith an hollow, dreary,murmuring voyce
These piteousplaints and dolours didresound;
O who is that,which brings me happychoyce
Of death, that herelye dying euerystound,
Yet liue perforcein balefull darkenessebound?
For now threeMoones haue cha[n]gedthrice their hew,
And haue beenethrice hid vnderneath theground,
Since I the heauenschearefull face didvew,
O welcome thou, that doest of death bring tydings trew.
Which when that Championheard, with percing point
Of pitty deare hishart was thrilled sore,
And tremblinghorrour ran through eueryioynt,
For ruth of gentleknight so fowleforlore:
Which shaking off,he rent that yron dore,
With furious force,and indignation fell;
Where entred in,his foot could find noflore,
But all a deepedescent, as darke as hell,
That breathed euer forth a filthie banefull smell.
But neither darkenesse fowle,nor filthy bands,
Nor noyous smellhis purpose couldwithhold,
(Entire affectionhateth nicer hands)
But that withconstant zeale, and couragebold,
After long painesand labours manifold,
He found the meanesthat Prisoner vp toreare;
Whose feeblethighes, vnhable to vphold
His pined corse,him scarse to lightcould beare,
A ruefull spectacle of death and ghastly drere.
His sad dull eyes deepe sunckin hollow pits,
Could not endureth'vnwonted sunne toview;
His bare thincheekes for want of betterbits,
And empty sidesdeceiued of their dew,
Could make a stonyhart his hap to rew;
His rawbone armes,whose mighty brawnedbowrs
Were wont to riuesteele plates, andhelmets hew,
Were cleaneconsum'd, and all his vitallpowres
Decayd, and all his flesh shronk vp like withered flowres.
Whom when his Lady saw, to himshe ran
With hasty ioy: tosee him made her glad,
And sad to view hisvisage pale and wan,
Who earst inflowres of freshest youthwas clad.
Tho when her wellof teares she wastedhad,
She said, Ahdearest Lord, what euillstarre
On you hath fround,and pourd hisinfluence bad,
That of your selfeye thus berobbed arre,
And this misseeming hew your manly looks doth marre?
But welcome now my Lord, inwele or woe,
Whose presence Ihaue lackt too long aday;
And fie on Fortunemine auowed foe,
Whose wrathfullwreakes them selues donow alay.
And for thesewrongs shall treblepenaunce pay
Of treble good:good growes of euilspriefe.
The chearelesseman, whom sorrow diddismay,
Had no delight totreaten of his griefe;
His long endured famine needed more reliefe.
Faire Lady, then said thatvictorious knight,
The things, thatgrieuous were to do, orbeare,
Them to renew, Iwote, breeds no delight:
Best musicke breeds delight in loathingeare:
But th'onely good,that growes of passed feare,
Is to be wise, and ware of like agein.
This dayes ensample hath this lesson deare
Deepe written in my heart with yron pen,
That blisse may not abide in state of mortall men.
Henceforth sir knight, take toyou wonted strength,
And maister these mishaps with patient might;
Loe where your foelyes stretcht inmonstrous length,
And loe that wicked woman in your sight,
The roote of all your care, and wretched plight,
Now in your powre,to let her liue, ordye.
To do her dye(quoth Vna) weredespight,
And shame t'auengeso weake an enimy;
But spoile her of her scarlot robe, and let her fly.
So as she bad, that witch theydisaraid,
And robd of royallrobes, and purple pall,
And ornaments thatrichly were displaid;
Ne spared they tostrip her naked all.
Then when they haddespoild her tire andcall,
Such as she was,their eyes might herbehold,
That her misshapedparts did them appall,
A loathly,wrinckled hag, ill fauoured,old,
Whose secret filth good manners biddeth not be told.
Her craftie head wasaltogether bald,
And as in hate ofhonorable eld,
Was ouergrowne withscurfe and filthyscald;
Her teeth out ofher rotten gummes werefeld,
And her sowrebreath abhominably smeld;
Her dried dugs,like bladders lackingwind,
Hong downe, andfilthy matter from themweld;
Her wrizled skin asrough, as maple rind,
So scabby was, that would haue loathd all womankind.
Her neather parts, the shameof all her kind,
My chaster Muse forshame doth blush towrite;
But at her rompeshe growing had behind
A foxes taile, withdong all fowly dight;
And eke her feetemost monstrous were insight;
For one of them waslike an Eagles claw,
With griping talaunts armd to greedy fight,
The other like a beares vneuen paw:
More vgly shape yet neuer liuing creature saw.
Which when the knights beheld,amazd they were,
And wondred at sofowle deformed wight.
Such then (said Vna)as sheseemeth here,
Such is the face offalshood, such thesight
Of fowle Duessa,when herborrowed light
Is laid away, andcounterfesaunce knowne.
Thus when they hadthe witch disrobedquight,
And all her filthyfeature open showne,
They let her goe at will, and wander wayes vnknowne.
She flying fast from heauenshated face,
And from the world that her discouered wide,
Fled to thewastfull wildernesse apace,
From liuing eyesher open shame to hide,
And lurkt in rocksand caues longvnespide.
But that faire crewof knights, and Vnafaire
Did in that castleafterwards abide,
To rest themselues, and weary powresrepaire,
Where store they found of all, that dainty was and rare.
His loues and lignage Arthur tells
The knights knit friendly bands:
Sir Treuisan flies from Despayre,
Whom Redcrosse knight withstands.
O Goodly golden chaine, wherewith yfere
The vertues linked are in louely wize:
And noble minds ofyore allyed were,
In braue poursuitof cheualrous emprize,
That none didothers safety despize,
Nor aid enuy tohim, in need that stands,
But friendly each did others prayse deuize
How to aduauncewith fauourable hands,
As this good Prince redeemd the Redcrosse knight from bands. Who when their powres, empairdthrough labour long,
With dew repast they had recured well,
And that weakecaptiue wight now wexed strong,
Them list no lenger there at leasure dwell,
But forward fare,as their aduenturesfell,
But ere they parted, Vna faire besought
That straunger knight his name and nationtell;
Least so great good, as he for her hadwrought,
Should die vnknown, & buried be in thanklesse thought.
Faire virgin (said the Prince)ye me require
A thing without thecompas of my wit:
For both thelignage and the certain Sire,
From which Isprong, from me are hiddenyit.
For all so soone aslife did me admit
Into this world,and shewed heauens light,
From mothers pap Itaken was vnfit:
And streightdeliuered to a Faery knight,
To be vpbrought in gentle thewes and martiall might.
Vnto old Timon he mebrought byliue,
Old Timon, who in youthly yeares hath beene
In warlike featesth'expertest man aliue,
And is the wisestnow on earth I weene;
His dwelling is lowin a valley greene,
Vnder the foot of Rauranmossyhore,
From whence theriuer Dee assiluer cleene
His tomblingbillowes rolls with gentlerore:
There all my dayes he traind me vp in vertuous lore.
Thither the great Magicien Merlincame,
As was his vse,ofttimes to visit me:
For he had chargemy discipline to frame,
And Tutoursnouriture to ouersee.
Him oft and oft Iaskt in priuitie,
Of what loines andwhat lignage I didspring:
Whose aunswere badme still assured bee,
That I was sonneand heire vnto a king,
As time in her iust terme the truth to light should bring.
Well worthy impe, said thenthe Lady gent,
And Pupill fit forsuch a Tutours hand.
But what aduenture,or what high intent
Hath brought youhither into Faery land,
Aread Prince Arthur,crowne ofMartiall band?
Full hard it is(quoth he) to read aright
The course ofheauenly cause, orvnderstand
The secret meaningof th'eternall might,
That rules mens wayes, and rules the thoughts of liuing wight.
For whither he through fatalldeepe foresight
Me hither sent, forcause to me vnghest,
Or that freshbleeding wound, which dayand night
Whilome doth ranclein my riuen brest,
With forced furyfollowing his behest,
Me hither broughtby wayes yet neuerfound,
You to haue helpt Ihold my selfe yetblest.
Ah curteous knight(quoth she) whatsecret wound
Could euer find, to grieue the gentlest hart on ground?
Deare Dame (quoth he) yousleeping sparkes awake,
Which troubledonce, into huge flameswill grow,
Ne euer will theirferuent fury slake,
Till liuingmoysture into smoke do flow,
And wasted life dolye in ashes low.
Yet sithens silencelesseneth not my fire,
But told it flames,and hidden it doesglow,
Iwill reuele, what ye somuch desire:
Ah Loue, lay downe thy bow, the whiles I may respire.
It was in freshest flowre ofyouthly yeares,
When courage firstdoes creepe in manlychest,
Then first thecoale of kindly heatappeares
To kindle loue ineuery liuing brest;
But me had warndold Timons wisebehest,
Those creepingflames by reason to subdew,
Before their ragegrew to so great vnrest,
As miserable louersvse to rew,
Which still wex old in woe, whiles woe still wexeth new.
That idle name of loue, andlouers life,
As losse of time,and vertues enimy
I euer scornd, and ioyd tostirre vp strife,
In middest of theirmournfull Tragedy,
Ay wont to laugh,when them I heard tocry,
And blow the fire,which them to ashesbrent:
Their God himselfe,grieu'd at mylibertie,
Shot many a dart atme with fiers intent,
But I them warded all with wary gouernment.
But all in vaine: no fort canbe so strong,
Ne fleshly brest can armed be so sound,
But will at last bewonne with battrielong,
Or vnawares atdisauantage found;
Nothing is sure,that growes on earthlyground:
And who mosttrustes in arme of fleshlymight,
And boasts, inbeauties chaine not to bebound,
Doth soonest fallin disauentrous fight,
And yeeldes his caytiue neck to victours most despight.
Ensample make of him yourhaplesse ioy,
And of my selfe nowmated, as ye see;
Whose prouder vauntthat proud auengingboy
Did soone pluckdowne, and curbd mylibertie.
For on a day pricktforth with iollitie
Of looser life, andheat of hardiment,
Raunging the forestwide on courser free,
The fields, thefloods, the heauens withone consent
Did seeme to laugh on me, and fauour mine intent.
For-wearied with my sports, Idid alight
From loftie steed,and downe to sleepe melayd;
The verdant gras mycouch did goodlydight,
And pillow was myhelmet faire displayd:
Whiles euery sencethe humour sweetembayd,
And slombring softmy hart did stealeaway,
Me seemed, by myside a royall Mayd
Her daintie limbesfull softly down didlay:
So faire a creature yet saw neuer sunny day.
Most goodly glee and louelyblandishment
She to me made, andbad me loue her deare,
For dearely sureher loue was to me bent,
As when iust timeexpired should appeare.
But whether dreamesdelude, or true itwere,
Was neuer hart sorauisht with delight,
Ne liuing man like words did euer heare,
As she to medeliuered all that night;
And at her parting said, She Queene of Faeries hight.
When I awoke, and found herplace deuoyd,
And nought butpressed gras, where shehad lyen,
Isorrowed all so much, asearst I ioyd,
And washed all herplace with watry eyen.
From that day forthI lou'd that facediuine;
From that day forthI cast in carefullmind,
To seeke her outwith labour, and longtyne,
And neuer vow torest, till her I find,
Nine monethes I seeke in vaine yet ni'll that vow vnbind.
Thus as he spake, his visagewexed pale,
And chaunge of hewgreat passion didbewray;
Yet still he stroueto cloke his inwardbale,
And hide the smoke,that did his firedisplay,
Till gentle Vnathus to him gansay;
O happy Queene ofFaeries, that hast found
Mongst many, onethat with his prowessemay
Defend thinehonour, and thy foesconfound:
True Loues are ofte[n] sown, but seldom grow on ground.
Thine, O then, said the gentle Redcrosse knight,
Next to that Ladiesloue, shalbe theplace,
O fairest virgin,full of heauenly light,
Whose wondrousfaith, exceeding earthlyrace,
Was firmest fixt inmine extremest case,
And you, my Lord,the Patrone of my life,
Of that greatQueene may well gaineworthy grace:
For onely worthyyou through prowes priefe
Yf liuing man mote worthy be, to be her liefe.
So diuersly discoursing oftheir loues,
The golden Sunnehis glistring head ganshew,
And sadremembraunce now the Princeamoues,
With fresh desirehis voyage to pursew:
Als Vnaearnd her traueill torenew.
Then those twoknights, fast friendshipfor to bynd,
And loue establisheach to other trew,
Gaue goodly gifts,the signes ofgratefull mynd,
And eke as pledges firme, right hands together ioynd.
Prince Arthur gaue aboxe of Diamond sure,
Embowd with goldand gorgeous ornament,
Wherein were closdfew drops of liquorpure,
Of wondrous worth,and vertue excellent,
That any woundcould heale incontinent:
Which to requite,the Redcrosseknight him gaue
A booke, whereinhis Saueours testament
Was writ withgolden letters rich andbraue;
A worke of wondrous grace, and able soules to saue.
Thus beene they parted, Arthuron his way
To seeke his loue,and th'other for tofight
With Vnaesfoe, that all herrealme did pray.
But she nowweighing the decayed plight,
And shrunkensynewes of her chosen knight,
Would not a whileher forward coursepursew,
Ne bring him forthin face of dreadfullfight,
Till he recoueredhad his former hew:
For him to be yet weake and wearie well she knew.
So as they traueild, lo theygan espy
An armed knighttowards them gallop fast,
That seemed fromsome feared foe to fly,
Or other grieslything, that him agast.
Still as he fled,his eye was backwardcast,
As if his fearestill followed him behind;
Als flew his steed,as he his bands hadbrast,
And with his wingedheeles did tread thewind,
As he had beene a fole of Pegasus his kind.
Nigh as he drew, they mightperceiue his head
To be vnarmd, andcurld vncombed heares
Vpstaring stiffe,dismayd with vncouthdread;
Nor drop of bloudin all his face appeares
Nor life in limbe:and to increase hisfeares,
In fowle reproch ofknighthoods fairedegree,
About his neck anhempen rope he weares,
That with hisglistring armes does illagree;
But he of rope or armes has now no memoree.
The Redcrosse knighttoward him crossed fast,
To weet, whatmister wight was so dismayd:
There him he findsall sencelesse andaghast,
That of him selfehe seemd to be afrayd;
Whom hardly he fromflying forward stayd,
Till he thesewordes to him deliuer might;
Sir knight, areadwho hath ye thus arayd,
And eke from whommake ye this hastyflight:
For neuer knight I saw in such misseeming plight.
He answerd nought at all, butadding new
Feare to his firstamazment, staring wide
With stony eyes,and hartlesse hollow hew,
Astonisht stood, asone that had aspide
Infernall furies, with their chainesvntide.
Him yet againe, andyet againe bespake
The gentle knight;who nought to himreplide,
But trembling eueryioynt did inly quake,
And foltring tongue at last these words seemd forth to shake.
For Gods deare loue, Sirknight, do me not stay;
For loe he comes,he comes fast after mee.
Eft looking backewould faine haue runneaway;
But he him forst tostay, and tellen free
The secret cause ofhis perplexitie:
Yet nathemore byhis bold hartie speach,
Could hisbloud-frosen hart emboldned bee,
But through hisboldnesse rather fearedid reach,
Yet forst, at last he made through silence suddein breach.
And am I now in safetie sure(quoth he)
From him, thatwould haue forced me todye?
And is the point ofdeath now turnd fromee,
That I may tellthis haplesse history?
Feare nought:(quoth he) no daunger nowis nye?
Then shall I yourecount a ruefull cace,
(Said he) the whichwith this vnlucky eye
Ilate beheld, and had notgreater grace
Me reft from it, had bene partaker of the place.
I lately chaunst (Would I hadneuer chaunst)
With a faire knightto keepen companee,
Sir Terwinhight, that wellhimselfe aduaunst
In all affaires,and was both bold andfree,
But not so happieas mote happie bee:
He lou'd, as washis lot, a Ladie gent,
That him againelou'd in the least degree:
For she was proud,and of too high intent,
And ioyd to see her louer languish and lament.
From whom returning sad andcomfortlesse,
As on the waytogether we did fare,
We met that villen(God from him meblesse)
That cursed wight,from whom I scaptwhyleare,
A man of hell, thatcals himselfe Despaire:
Who first vs greets, and after faireareedes
Of tydings strange,and of aduenturesrare:
So creeping close,as Snake in hiddenweedes,
Inquireth of our states, and of our knightly deedes.
Which when he knew, and feltourfeeble harts
Embost with bale,and bitter bytinggriefe,
Which loue hadlaunched with his deadlydarts,
With wounding wordsand termes of foulerepriefe
He pluckt from vsall hope of due reliefe,
That earst vs heldin loue of lingringlife;
Then hopelessehartlesse, gan the cunningthiefe
Perswade vs die, tostint all furtherstrife:
To me he lent this rope, to him a rustie knife.
With which sad instrument ofhastie death,
That wofull louer,loathing lenger light,
A wide way made tolet forth liuingbreath.
But I morefearefull, or more luckiewight,
Dismayd with thatdeformed dismall sight,
Fled fast away,halfe dead with dyingfeare:
Ne yet assur'd oflife by you, Sir knight,
Whose likeinfirmitie like chaunce maybeare:
But God you neuer let his charmed speeches heare.
How may a man (said he) withidle speach
Be wonne, to spoylethe Castle of hishealth?
Iwote (quoth he) whom trialllate did teach,
That like would notfor all this worldeswealth:
His subtill tongue,like dropping honny,mealt'th
Into the hart, andsearcheth euery vaine,
That ere one beaware, by secret stealth
His powre is reft,and weaknesse dothremaine.
O neuer Sir desire to try his guilefull traine.
Certes (said he) hence shall Ineuer rest,
Till I thattreachours art haue heard andtride;
And you Sir knight, whose name mote I request,
Of grace do me vnto his cabin guide.
I that hight Treuisan (quoth he) will ride
Against my liking backe, to doe you grace:
But nor for gold nor glee will I abide
By you, when ye arriue in that same place;
For leuer had I die, then see his deadly face.
Ere long they come, where thatsame wicked wight
His dwelling has, low in an hollow caue,
Farre vnderneath a craggie clift ypight,
Darke, dolefull, drearie, like a greedie graue,
That still for carrion carcases doth craue:
On top whereof aye dwelt the ghastly Owle,
Shrieking his balefull note, which euer draue
Farre from that haunt all other chearefull fowle;
And all about it wandring ghostes did waile and howle.
And all about old stockes andstubs of trees,
Whereon nor fruit, nor leafe was euer seene,
Did hang vpon the ragged rocky knees;
On which had many wretches hanged beene,
Whose carcases were scattered on the greene,
And throwne about the cliffs. Arriued there,
That bare-head knight for dread and dolefull teene,
Would faine haue fled, ne durst approchen neare,
But th'other forst him stay, and comforted in feare.
That darkesome caue theyenter, where they find
That cursed man, low sitting on the ground,
Musing full sadly in his sullein mind;
His griesie lockes, long growen, and vnbound,
Disordred hong about his shoulders round,
And hid his face; through which his hollow eyne
Lookt deadly dull, and stared as astound;
His raw-bone cheekes through penurie and pine,
Were shronke into hisiawes, as he did neuer dine.
His garment nought but manyragged clouts,
With thornes together pind and patched was,
The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts;
And him beside there lay vpon the gras
A drearie corse, whose life away did pas,
All wallowd in his owne yet luke-warme blood,
That from his wound yet welled fresh alas;
In which a rustie knife fast fixed stood,
And made an open passage for the gushing flood.
Which piteous spectacle,approuing trew
The wofull tale that Treuisan had told,
When as the gentle Redcrosse knight did vew,
With firie zeale he burnt in courage bold,
Him to auenge, before his bloud were cold,
And to the villein said, Thou damned wight,
The author of this fact, we here behold,
What iustice can but iudge against thee right,
With thine owne bloud to price his bloud, here shed in sight.
What franticke fit (quoth he)hath thus distraught
Thee, foolish man, so rash a doome to giue?
What iustice euer other iudgement taught,
But he should die, who merites not to liue?
None else to death this man despayring driue,
But his owne guiltie mind deseruing death.
Is then vniust to each his due to giue?
Or let him die, that loatheth liuing breath?
Or let him die at ease, that liueth here vneath?
Who trauels by the weariewandring way,
To come vnto his wished home in haste,
And meetes a flood, that doth his passage stay,
Is not great grace to helpe him ouer past,
Or free his feet, that in the myre sticke fast?
Most enuious man, that grieues at neighbours good,
And fond, that ioyest in the woe thou hast,
Why wilt not let him passe, that long hath stood
Vpon the banke, yet wilt thy selfe not passe the flood?
He there does now enioyeternall rest
And happie ease, which thou doest want and craue,
And further from it daily wanderest:
What if some litle paine the passage haue,
That makes fraile flesh to feare the bitter waue?
Is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease,
And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet graue?
Sleepe after toyle, port after stormie seas,
Ease after warre, death after life does greatly please.
The knight much wondred at hissuddeine wit,
And said, The terme of life is limited,
Ne may a man prolong, nor shorten it;
The souldier may not moue from watchfull sted,
Nor leaue his stand, vntill his Captaine bed.
Who life did limit by almightie doome,
(Quoth he) knowes best the termes established;
And he, that points the Centonell his roome,
Doth license him depart at sound of morning droome.
Is not his deed, what euerthing is donne,
In heauen and earth? did not he all create
To die againe? all ends that was begonne.
Their times in his eternall booke of fate
Are written sure, and haue their certaine date.
Who then can striue with strong necessitie,
That holds the world in his still chaunging state,
Or shunne the death ordaynd by destinie?
Whe[n] houre of death is come, let none aske whence, nor why.
The lenger life, I wote thegreater sin,
The greater sin, the greater punishment:
All those great battels, which thou boasts to win,
Through strife, and bloud-shed, and auengement,
Now praysd, hereafter deare thou shalt repent:
For life must life, and bloud must bloud repay.
Is not enough thy euill life forespent?
For he, that once hath missed the right way,
The further he doth goe, the further he doth stray.
Then do no further goe, nofurther stray,
But here lie downe, and to thy rest betake,
Th'ill to preuent, that life ensewen may.
For what hath life, that may it loued make,
And giues not rather cause it to forsake?
Feare, sicknesse, age, losse, labour, sorrow, strife,
Paine, hunger, cold, that makes the hart to quake;
And euer fickle fortune rageth rife,
All which, and thousands mo do make a loathsome life.
Thou wretched man, of deathhast greatest need,
If in true ballance thou wilt weigh thy state:
For neuer knight, that dared warlike deede,
More lucklesse disauentures did amate:
Witnesse the dongeon deepe, wherein of late
Thy life shut vp, for death so oft did call;
And though good lucke prolonged hath thy date,
Yet death then, would the like mishaps forestall,
Into the which hereafter thou maiest happen fall.
Why then doest thou, ™man of sin, desire
To draw thy dayes forth to their last degree?
Is not the measure of thy sinfull hire
High heaped vp with huge iniquitie,
Against the day of wrath, to burden thee?
Is not enough, that to this Ladie milde
Thou falsed hast thy faith with periurie,
And sold thy selfe to serue Duessa vilde,
With whom in all abuse thou hast thy selfe defilde?
Is not he iust, that all thisdoth behold
From highest heauen, and beares an equall eye?
Shall he thy sins vp in his knowledge fold,
And guiltie be of thine impietie?
Is not his law, Let euery sinner die:
Die shall all flesh? what then must needs be donne,
Is it not better to doe willinglie,
Then linger, till the glasse be all out ronne?
Death is the end of woes: die soone, O faeries sonne.
The knight was much enmouedwith his speach,
That as a swords point through his hart did perse,
And in his conscience made a secret breach,
Well knowing true all, that he did reherse,
And to his fresh remembrance did reuerse
The vgly vew of his deformed crimes,
That all his manly powres it did disperse,
As he were charmed with inchaunted rimes,
That oftentimes he quakt, and fainted oftentimes.
In which amazement, when theMiscreant
Perceiued him to wauer weake and fraile,
Whiles trembling horror did his conscience dant,
And hellish anguish did his soule assaile,
To driue him to despaire, and quite to quaile,
He shew'd him painted in a table plaine,
The damned ghosts, that doe in torments waile,
And thousand feends that doe them endlesse paine
With fire and brimstone, which for euer shall remaine.
The sight whereof so throughlyhim dismaid,
That nought but death before his eyes he saw,
And euer burning wrath before him laid,
By righteous sentence of th'Almighties law:
Then gan the villein him to ouercraw,
And brought vnto him swords, ropes, poison, fire,
And all that might him to perdition draw;
And bad him choose, what death he would desire:
For death was due to him, that had prouokt Gods ire.
But when as none of them hesaw him take,
He to him raught a dagger sharpe and keene,
And gaue it him in hand: his hand did quake,
And tremble like a leafe of Aspin greene,
And troubled bloud through his pale face was seene
To come, and goe with tydings from the hart,
As it a running messenger had beene.
At last resolu'd to worke his finall smart,
He lifted vp his hand, that backe againe did start.
Which when as Vna saw,through euery vaine
The crudled cold ran to her well of life,
As in a swowne: but soone reliu'd againe,
Out of his hand she snatcht the cursed knife,
And threw it to the ground, enraged rife,
And to him said, Fie, fie, faint harted knight,
What meanest thou by this reprochfull strife?
Is this the battell, which thou vauntst to fight
With that fire-mouthed Dragon, horrible and bright?
Come, come away, fraile,seely, fleshly wight,
Ne let vaine words bewitch thy manly hart,
Ne diuelish thoughts dismay thy constant spright.
In heauenly mercies hast thou not a part?
Why shouldst thou then despeire, that chosen art?
Where iustice growes, there grows eke greater grace,
The which doth quench the brond of hellish smart,
And that accurst hand-writing doth deface,
Arise, Sir knight arise, and leaue this cursed place.
So vp he rose, and thenceamounted streight.
Which when the carle beheld, and saw his guest
Would safe depart, for all his subtill sleight,
He chose an halter from among the rest,
And with it hung himselfe, vnbid vnblest.
But death he could not worke himselfe thereby;
For thousand times he so himselfe had drest,
Yet nathelesse it could not doe him die,
Till he should die his last, that is eternally.
Her faithfull knight faire Vna brings
to house of Holinesse,
Where he is taught repentance, and
the way to heauenly blesse.
What man is he, that boasts of fleshly might,
And vaine assurance of mortality,
Which all so soone, as it doth come to fight,
Against spirituall foes, yeelds by and by,
Or from the field most cowardly doth fly?
Ne let the man ascribe it to his skill,
That thorough grace hath gained victory.
If any strength we haue, it is to ill,
But all the good is Gods, both power and eke will. By that, which lately hapned, Vnasaw,
That this her knight was feeble, and too faint;
And all his sinewswoxen weake and raw,
Through longenprisonment, and hardconstraint,
Which he endured inhis late restraint,
That yet he wasvnfit for bloudie fight:
Therefore tocherish him with diets daint,
She cast to bringhim, where he chearenmight,
Till he recouered had his late decayed plight.
There was an auntient housenot farre away,
Renowmd throughout the world for sacred lore,
And pure vnspottedlife: so well they say
Itgouernd was, and guided euermore,
Through wisedome ofa matrone graue andhore;
Whose onely ioy wasto relieue the needes
Of wretched soules,and helpe thehelpelesse pore:
All night she spentin bidding of herbedes,
And all the day in doing good and godly deedes.
Dame C¾lia mendid her call, as thought
From heauen tocome, or thither to arise,
The mother of threedaughters, wellvpbrought
In goodly thewes,and godly exercise:
The eldest two mostsober, chast, andwise,
Fidelia and Speranzavirgins were,
Though spousd, yetwanting wedlockssolemnize;
But faire Charissato a louelyfere
Was lincked, and by him had many pledges dere.
Arriued there, the dore theyfind fast lockt;
For it was warelywatched night and day,
For feare of manyfoes: but when theyknockt,
The Porter openedvnto them streight way:
He was an agedsyre, all hory gray,
With lookes fulllowly cast, and gatefull slow,
Wont on a staffehis feeble steps to stay,
Hight Humilt‡.They passein stouping low;
For streight & narrow was the way, which he did show.
Each goodly thing is hardestto begin,
But entred in aspacious court they see,
Both plaine, andpleasant to be walked in,
Where them doesmeete a francklin faireand free,
And entertaineswith comely courteousglee,
His name was Zele,that him rightwell became,
For in his speechesand behauiour hee
Did labour liuelyto expresse the same,
And gladly did them guide, till to the Hall they came.
There fairely them receiues agentle Squire,
Of milde demeanure,and rare courtesie,
Right cleanly cladin comely sad attire;
In word and deedethat shew'd greatmodestie,
And knew his goodto all of each degree,
Hight Reuerence.He them withspeeches meet
Does faire entreat;no courting nicetie,
But simple true,and eke vnfained sweet,
As might become a Squire so great persons to greet.
And afterwards them to hisDame he leades,
That aged Dame, theLadie of the place:
Who all this whilewas busie at herbeades:
Which doen, she vparose with seemelygrace,
And toward themfull matronely did pace.
Where when thatfairest Vna shebeheld,
Whom well she knewto spring fromheauenly race,
Her hart with ioyvnwonted inly sweld,
As feeling wondrous comfort in her weaker eld.
And her embracing said,™ happie earth,
Whereon thyinnocent feet doe euer tread,
Most vertuousvirgin borne of heauenlyberth,
That to redeeme thywoefull parents head,
From tyrans rage,and euer-dying dread,
Hast wandredthrough the world now long aday;
Yet ceasest not thywearie soles to lead,
What grace haththee now hither broughtthis way?
Or doen thy feeble feet vnweeting hither stray?
Strange thing it is an errantknight to see
Here in this place,or any other wight,
That hither turneshis steps. So fewthere bee,
That chose thenarrow path, or seeke theright:
All keepe the broadhigh way, and takedelight
With many ratherfor to go astray,
And be partakers oftheir euill plight,
Then with a few towalke the rightest way;
O foolish men, why haste ye to your owne decay?
Thy selfe to see, and tyredlimbs to rest,
O matrone sage(quoth she) I hither came,
And this goodknight his way with meaddrest,
Led with thyprayses and broad-blazedfame,
That vp to heauenis blowne. The auncientDame
Him goodly greetedin her modest guise,
And entertaynd themboth, as best became,
With all thecourt'sies, that she coulddeuise.
Ne wanted ought, to shew her bounteous or wise.
Thus as they gan of sundrythings deuise,
Loe two most goodly virgins came in place,
Ylinked arme in arme in louely wise,
With countenance demure, and modest grace,
They numberd euen steps and equall pace:
Of which the eldest, that Fidelia hight,
Like sunny beames threw from her Christall face,
That could haue dazd the rash beholders sight,
And round about her head did shine like heauens light.
She was araied all in lillywhite,
And in her right hand bore a cup of gold,
With wine and water fild vp to the hight,
In which a Serpentdid himselfe enfold,
That horrour madeto all, that did behold;
But she no whit didchaunge her constantmood:
And in her otherhand she fast did hold
A booke, that wasboth signd and sealdwith blood,
Wherein darke things were writ, hard to be vnderstood.
Her younger sister, that Speranzahight,
Was clad in blew,that her beseemed well;
Not all sochearefull seemed she of sight,
As was her sister;whether dread diddwell,
Or anguish in herhart, is hard to tell:
Vpon her arme asiluer anchor lay,
Whereon she leanedeuer, as befell:
And euer vp toheauen, as she did pray,
Her stedfast eyes were bent, ne swarued other way.
They seeing Vna,towards her gan wend,
Who them encounters with like courtesie;
Many kind speechesthey betwene themspend,
And greatly ioyeach other well to see:
Then to the knightwith shamefast modestie
They turnethemselues, at Vnaesmeeke request,
And him salute withwell beseeming glee:
Who faire themquites, as him beseemedbest,
And goodly gan discourse of many a noble gest.
Then Vna thus; But sheyour sister deare;
The deare Charissawhere is shebecome?
Or wants shehealth, or busie iselsewhere?
Ah no, said they,but forth she may notcome:
For she of late islightned of her wombe,
And hath encreastthe world with onesonne more,
That her to seeshould be but troublesome.
Indeede (quoth she)that should hertrouble sore,
But thankt be God, and her encrease so euermore.
Then said the aged Coelia,Deare dame,
And you good Sir, Iwote that of yourtoyle,
And labours long,through which ye hithercame,
Ye both forweariedbe: therefore a whyle
Iread you rest, and to yourbowres recoyle.
Then called she a Groome,that forth him led
Into a goodly lodge, and gandespoile
Of puissant armes,and laid in easie bed;
His name was meeke Obedience rightfully ared.
Now when their wearie limbeswith kindly rest,
And bodies were refresht with due repast,
Faire Vnagan Fideliafaire request,
To haue her knightinto her schoolehouseplaste,
That of herheauenly learning he mighttaste,
And heare thewisedome of her wordsdiuine.
She graunted, andthat knight so muchagraste,
That she him taughtcelestiall discipline,
And opened his dull eyes, that light mote in them shine.
And that her sacred Booke,with bloud ywrit,
That none couldread, except she did themteach,
She vnto himdisclosed euery whit,
And heauenlydocuments thereout didpreach,
That weaker wit ofman could neuer reach,
Of God, of grace,of iustice, of freewill,
That wonder was toheare her goodlyspeach:
For she was able,with her words to kill,
And raise againe to life the hart, that she did thrill.
And when she list poure outher larger spright,
She would commaundthe hastie Sunne tostay,
Or backward turnehis course from heauenshight;
Sometimes greathostes of men she coulddismay,
Dry-shod to passe,she parts the floudsin tway;
And eke hugemountaines from their natiueseat
She would commaund,themselues to beareaway,
And throw in ragingsea with roaringthreat.
Almightie God her gaue such powre, and puissance great.
The faithfull knight now grewin litle space,
By hearing her, andby her sisters lore,
To such perfectionof all heauenly grace,
That wretched worldhe gan for to abhore,
And mortall lifegan loath, as thingforlore,
Greeu'd withremembrance of his wickedwayes,
And prickt withanguish of his sinnes sosore,
That he desirde toend his wretched dayes:
So much the dart of sinfull guilt the soule dismayes.
But wise Speranza gauehim comfort sweet,
And taught him howto take assured hold
Vpon her silueranchor, as was meet;
Else had his sinnesso great, and manifold
Made him forget allthat Fideliatold.
In this distresseddoubtfull agonie,
When him hisdearest Vna didbehold,
Disdeining life,desiring leaue to die,
She found her selfe assayld with great perplexitie.
And came to Coelia todeclare her smart,
Who well acquaintedwith that communeplight,
Which sinfullhorror workes in woundedhart,
Her wiselycomforted all that she might,
With goodlycounsell and aduisement right;
And streightwaysent with carefulldiligence,
To fetch a Leach,the which had greatinsight
In that disease ofgrieued conscience,
And well could cure the same; His name was Patience.
Who comming to thatsoule-diseased knight,
Could hardly himintreat, to tell hisgriefe:
Which knowne, andall that noyd hisheauie spright
Well searcht,eftsoones he gan applyreliefe
Of salues andmed'cines, which hadpassing priefe,
And thereto addedwords of wondrous might:
By which to ease hehim recured briefe,
And much asswag'dthe passion of hisplight,
That he his paine endur'd,as seeming now more light.
But yet the cause and root ofall his ill,
Inward corruption, and infected sin,
Not purg'd norheald, behind remainedstill,
And festring soredid rankle yet within,
Close creepingtwixt the marrow and theskin.
Which to extirpe,he laid him priuily
Downe in adarkesome lowly place farre in,
Whereas he meanthis corrosiues to apply,
And with streight diet tame his stubborne malady.
In ashes and sackcloth he didarray
His daintie corse,proud humors to abate,
And dieted withfasting euery day,
The swelling of hiswounds to mitigate,
And made him prayboth earely and ekelate:
And euer assuperfluous flesh did rot
Amendmentreadie still at hand didwayt,
To pluck it outwith pincers firie whot,
That soone in him was left no one corrupted iot.
And bitter Penancewith an yron whip,
Was wont him onceto disple euery day:
And sharpe Remorsehis hart didpricke and nip,
That drops of bloudthence like a welldid play;
And sad Repentancevsed to embay
His bodie in saltwater smarting sore,
The filthy blots ofsinne to wash away.
So in short spacethey did to healthrestore
The man that would not liue, but earst lay at deathes dore.
In which his torment often wasso great,
That like a Lyon hewould cry and rore,
And rend his flesh,and his owne syneweseat.
His owne deare Vnahearingeuermore
His ruefullshriekes and gronings, oftentore
Her guiltlessegarments, and her goldenheare,
For pitty of hispaine and anguish sore;
Yet all withpatience wisely she didbeare;
For well she wist, his crime could else be neuer cleare.
Whom thus recouer'd by wisePatience,
And trew Repentancethey to Vnabrought:
Who ioyous of hiscured conscience,
Him dearely kist,and fairely eke besought
Himselfe tochearish, and consumingthought
To put away out ofhis carefull brest.
By this Charissa,late inchild-bed brought,
Was woxen strong,and left her fruitfullnest;
To her faire Vna brought this vnacquainted guest.
She was a woman in herfreshest age,
Of wondrous beauty,and of bountie rare,
With goodly graceand comely personage,
That was on earthnot easie to compare;
Full of great loue,but Cupidswanton snare
As hell she hated,chast in worke andwill;
Her necke andbreasts were euer open bare,
That ay thereof herbabes might sucketheir fill;
The rest was all in yellow robes arayed still.
A multitude of babes about herhong,
Playing theirsports, that ioyd her tobehold,
Whom still she fed,whiles they wereweake & young,
But thrust themforth still, as theywexed old:
And on her head shewore a tyre of gold,
Adornd with gemmesand owches wondrousfaire,
Whose passing pricevneath was to be told;
And by her sidethere sate a gentle paire
Of turtle doues, she sitting in an yuorie chaire.
The knight and Vnaentring, faire her greet,
And bid her ioy ofthat her happie brood;
Who them requiteswith court'sies seemingmeet,
And entertaineswith friendly chearefullmood.
Then Vnaher besought, to be sogood,
As in her vertuousrules to schoole herknight,
Now after all historment well withstood,
In that sad houseof Penaunce,where his spright
Had past the paines of hell, and long enduring night.
She was right ioyous of heriust request,
And taking by thehand that Faeries sonne,
Gan him instruct ineuery good behest,
Of loue, andrighteousnesse, and well todonne,
And wrath, andhatred warely to shonne,
That drew on menGods hatred, and hiswrath,
And many soules indolours had fordonne:
In which when himshe well instructedhath,
From thence to heauen she teacheth him the ready path.
Wherein his weaker wandringsteps to guide,
An auncient matroneshe to her does call,
Whose sober lookesher wisedome welldescride:
Her name was Mercie,well knowneouer all,
To be bothgratious, and eke liberall:
To whom thecarefull charge of him shegaue,
To lead aright,that he should neuer fall
In all his wayesthrough this wideworldes waue,
That Mercy in the end his righteous soule might saue.
The godly Matrone by the handhim beares
Forth from herpresence, by a narrow way,
Scattred with bushythornes, and raggedbreares,
Which still beforehim she remou'd away,
That nothing mighthis ready passage stay:
And euer when hisfeet encombred were,
Or gan to shrinke,or from the right tostray,
She held him fast,and firmely didvpbeare,
As carefull Nourse her child from falling oft does reare.
Eftsoones vnto an holyHospitall,
That was fore bythe way, she did himbring,
In which seuenBead-men that had vowed all
Their life toseruice of high heauens king
Did spend theirdayes in doing godlything:
Their gates to allwere open euermore,
That by the wearieway were traueiling,
And one satewayting euer them before,
To call in-commers by, that needy were and pore.
The first of them that eldestwas, and best,
Of all the househad charge andgouernement,
As Guardian andSteward of the rest:
His office was togiue entertainement
And lodging, vntoall that came, and went:
Not vnto such, ascould him feast againe,
And double quite,for that he on themspent,
But such, as wantof harbour didconstraine:
Those for Gods sake his dewty was to entertaine.
The second was as Almner ofthe place,
His office was, thehungry for to feed,
And thristy giue todrinke, a worke ofgrace:
He feard not oncehim selfe to be in need,
Ne car'd to hoordfor those, whom he didbreede:
The grace of God helayd vp still instore,
Which as a stockehe left vnto his seede;
He had enough, whatneed him care formore?
And had he lesse, yet some he would giue to the pore.
The third had of theirwardrobe custodie,
In which were notrich tyres, norgarments gay,
The plumes ofpride, and wings of vanitie,
But clothes meet tokeepe keene couldaway,
And naked natureseemely to aray;
With which barewretched wights he daylyclad,
The images of Godin earthly clay;
And if that nospare cloths to giue hehad,
His owne coate he would cut, and it distribute glad.
The fourth appointed by hisoffice was,
Poore prisoners torelieue with gratiousayd,
And captiues toredeeme with price ofbras,
From Turkes andSarazins, which them hadstayd;
And though theyfaultie were, yet well hewayd,
That God to vsforgiueth euery howre
Much more then that,why they in bandswere layd,
And he that harrowdhell with heauiestowre,
The faultie soules from thence brought to his heauenly bowre.
The fift had charge sickepersons to attend,
And comfort those,in point of deathwhich lay;
For them mostneedeth comfort in the end,
When sin, and hell,and death do mostdismay
The feeble souledeparting hence away.
All is but lost,that liuing we bestow,
Ifnot well ended at our dying day.
O man haue mind ofthat last bitter throw;
For as the tree does fall, so lyes it euer low.
The sixt had charge of themnow being dead,
In seemely sorttheir corses to engraue,
And deck withdainty flowres theirbridall bed,
That to theirheauenly spouse both sweetand braue
They might appeare,when he their soulesshall saue.
The wondrousworkemanship of Gods ownemould,
Whose face he made,all beasts to feare,and gaue
All in his hand,euen dead we honourshould.
Ah dearest God me graunt, I dead be not defould.
The seuenth now after deathand buriall done,
Had charge thetender Orphans of the dead
And widowes ayd,least they should bevndone:
In face ofiudgement he their right wouldplead,
Ne ought the powreof mighty men did dread
In their defence,nor would for gold orfee
Be wonne theirrightfull causes downe totread:
And when they stoodin most necessitee,
He did supply their want, and gaue them euer free.
There when the Elfin knightarriued was,
The first andchiefest of the seuen,whose care
Was guests towelcome, towardes him didpas:
Where seeing Mercie,that hissteps vp bare,
And alwayes led, toher with reuerencerare
He humbly louted inmeeke lowlinesse,
And seemely welcomefor her did prepare:
For of their ordershe was Patronesse,
Albe Charissa were their chiefest founderesse.
There she awhile him stayes,him selfe to rest,
That to the restmore able he might bee:
During which time,in euery good behest
And godly worke ofAlmes and charitee
She him instructedwith great industree;
Shortly therein soperfect he became,
That from the firstvnto the last degree,
His mortall life helearned had to frame
In holy righteousnesse, without rebuke or blame.
Thence forward by thatpainfull way they pas,
Forth to an hill,that was both steepeand hy;
On top whereof asacred chappell was,
And eke a litleHermitage thereby,
Wherein an agedholy man did lye,
That day and nightsaid his deuotion,
Ne other worldlybusines did apply;
His name washeauenly Contemplation;
Of God and goodnesse was his meditation.
Great grace that old man tohim giuen had;
For God he oftensaw from heauens hight,
All were hisearthly eyen both blunt andbad,
And through greatage had lost theirkindly sight,
Yet wondrous quickand persant was hisspright,
As Eagles eye, thatcan behold the Sunne:
That hill theyscale with all their powreand might,
That his fraylethighes nigh wearie andfordonne
Gan faile, but by her helpe the top at last he wonne.
There they do finde that godlyaged Sire,
With snowy lockesadowne his shouldersshed,
As hoarie frostwith spangles doth attire
The mossy braunchesof an Oke halfe ded.
Each bone mightthrough his body well bered,
And euery sinewseene through his longfast:
For nought he car'dhis carcas long vnfed;
His mind was fullof spirituall repast,
And pyn'd his flesh, to keepe his body low and chast.
Who when these two approchinghe aspide,
At their first presence grew agrieued sore,
That forst him layhis heauenly thoughtsaside;
And had he not thatDame respected more,
Whom highly he didreuerence and adore,
He would not oncehaue moued for theknight.
They him salutedstanding far afore;
Who well themgreeting, humbly didrequight,
And asked, to what end they clomb that tedious height.
What end (quoth she) shouldcause vs take such paine,
But that same end,which euery liuingwight
Should make hismarke, high heauen toattaine?
Is not from hencethe way, that leadethright
To that mostglorious house, thatglistreth bright
With burningstarres, and euerliuing fire,
Whereof the keyesare to thy hand behight
By wise Fidelia?she doth theerequire,
To shew it to this knight, according his desire.
Thrise happy man, said thenthe father graue,
Whose staggeringsteps thy steady handdoth lead,
And shewes the way,his sinfull soule tosaue.
Who better can theway to heauen aread,
Then thou thyselfe, that was both borneand bred
In heauenly throne,where thousand Angelsshine?
Thou doest theprayers of the righteoussead
Present before themaiestie diuine,
And his auenging wrath to clemencie incline.
Yet since thou bidst, thypleasure shalbe donne.
Then come thou manof earth, and see theway,
That neuer yet wasseene of Faeries sonne,
That neuer leadsthe traueiler astray,
But after labourslong, and sad delay,
Brings them toioyous rest and endlesseblis.
But first thou musta season fast andpray,
Till from her bandsthe spright assoiledis,
And haue her strength recur'd from fraile infirmitis.
That done, he leads him to thehighest Mount;
Such one, as thatsame mighty man of God,
That bloud-redbillowes like a walledfront
On either sidedisparted with his rod,
Till that his armydry-foot through themyod,
Dwelt fortie dayesvpon; where writ instone
With bloudy lettersby the hand of God,
The bitter doome ofdeath and balefullmone
He did receiue, whiles flashing fire about him shone.
Or like that sacred hill,whose head full hie,
Adornd withfruitfull Oliues all arownd,
Is, as it were forendlesse memory
Of that deare Lord,who oft thereon wasfownd,
For euer with aflowring girlond crownd:
Or like thatpleasaunt Mount, that is foray
Through famousPoets verse each whererenownd,
On which the thrisethree learned Ladiesplay
Their heauenly notes, and make full many a louely lay.
From thence, far off he vntohim did shew
A litle path, thatwas both steepe andlong,
Which to a goodlyCitie led his vew;
Whose wals andtowres were builded highand strong
Of perle andprecious stone, that earthlytong
Cannot describe,nor wit of man can tell;
Too high a dittyfor my simple song;
The Citie of thegreat king hight it well,
Wherein eternall peace and happinesse doth dwell.
As he thereon stood gazing, hemight see
The blessed Angelsto and fro descend
From highestheauen, in gladsome companee,
And with great ioyinto that Citie wend,
As commonly asfriend does with his frend.
Whereat he wondredmuch, and gan enquere,
What statelybuilding durst so high extend
Her loftie towresvnto the starry sphere,
And what vnknowen nation there empeopled were.
Faire knight (quoth he) Hierusalemthat is,
The new Hierusalem,that God hasbuilt
For those to dwellin, that are chosenhis,
His chosen peoplepurg'd from sinfullguilt,
With pretiousbloud, which cruelly wasspilt
On cursed tree, ofthat vnspotted lam,
That for the sinnesof all the world waskilt:
Now are they Saintsall in that Citie sam,
More deare vnto their God, then you[n]glings to their dam.
Till now, said then theknight, I weened well,
That great Cleopolis,where Ihaue beene,
In which thatfairest Faerie Queenedoth dwell,
The fairest Citiewas, that might beseene;
And that brighttowre all built ofchristall cleene,
Panthea,seemd the brightestthing, that was:
But now by proofeall otherwise I weene;
For this greatCitie that does far surpas,
And this bright Angels towre quite dims that towre of glas.
Most trew, then said the holyaged man;
Yet is Cleopolisfor earthlyframe,
The fairest peece,that eye beholden can:
And well beseemesall knights of noblename,
That couet inth'immortall booke of fame
To be eternized,that same to haunt,
And doen theirseruice to that soueraigneDame,
That glorie does tothem for guerdongraunt:
For she is heauenly borne, and heauen may iustly vaunt.
And thou faire ymp, sprong outfrom English race,
How euer nowaccompted Elfins sonne,
Well worthy doestthy seruice for hergrace,
To aide a virgindesolate foredonne.
But when thou famous victorie hast wonne,
And high emongstall knights hast hongthy shield,
Thenceforth thesuit of earthly conquestshonne,
And wash thy handsfrom guilt of bloudyfield:
For bloud can nought but sin, & wars but sorrowes yield.
Then seeke this path, that Ito thee presage,
Which after all toheauen shall thee send;
Then peaceably thypainefull pilgrimage
To yonder same Hierusalemdo bend,
Where is for theeordaind a blessed end:
For thou emongstthose Saints, whom thoudoest see,
Shalt be a Saint,and thine owne nationsfrend
And Patrone: thouSaint Georgeshalt called bee,
Saint George of mery England, the signe of victoree.
Vnworthy wretch (quoth he) ofso great grace,
How dare I thinke such glory to attaine?
These that haue itattaind, were in likecace
(Quoth he) aswretched, and liu'd in likepaine.
But deeds of armesmust I at last befaine,
And Ladies loue toleaue so dearelybought?
What need of armes,where peace doth ayremaine,
(Said he) andbattailes none are to befought?
As for loose loues they are vaine, and vanish into nought.
O let me not (quoth he) thenturne againe
Backe to the world,whose ioyes sofruitlesse are;
But let me here foraye in peace remaine,
Or streight way onthat last long voyagefare,
That nothing may mypresent hope empare.
That may not be(said he) ne maist thouyit
Forgo that royallmaides bequeathed care,
Who did her causeinto thy hand commit,
Till from her cursed foe thou haue her freely quit.
Then shall I soone, (quoth he)so God me grace,
Abet that virginscause disconsolate,
And shortly backereturne vnto this place,
To walke this wayin Pilgrims pooreestate.
But now aread, oldfather, why of late
Didst thou behightme borne of Englishblood,
Whom all a Faeriessonne doen nominate?
That word shall I(said he) auouchen good,
Sith to thee is vnknowne the cradle of thy brood.
For well I wote, thou springstfrom ancient race
Of Saxonkings, that haue withmightie hand
And many bloudiebattailes fought in place
High reard theirroyall throne in Britaneland,
And vanquisht them,vnable to withstand:
From thence aFaerie thee vnweeting reft,
There as thouslepst in tender swadlingband,
And her base Elfinbrood there for theeleft.
Such men do Chaungelings call, so chaungd by Faeries theft.
Thence she thee brought intothis Faerie lond,
And in an heapedfurrow did thee hyde,
Where thee aPloughman all vnweeting fond,
As he his toylesometeme that way didguyde,
And brought thee vpin ploughmans stateto byde,
Whereof Georgoshe thee gaue toname;
Till prickt withcourage, and thy forcespryde,
To Faery court thoucam'st to seeke forfame,
And proue thy puissaunt armes, as seemes thee best became.
O holy Sire (quoth he) howshall I quight
The many fauours Iwith thee haue found,
That hast my nameand nation red aright,
And taught the waythat does to heauenbound?
This said, adownehe looked to the ground,
To haue returnd,but dazed were his eyne,
Through passingbrightnesse, which didquite co[n]found
His feeble sence,and too exceeding shyne.
So darke are earthly things compard to things diuine.
At last whenas himselfe he ganto find,
To Vna backhe cast him to retire;
Who him awaitedstill with pensiue mind.
Great thankes andgoodly meed to thatgood syre,
He thence departinggaue for his paineshyre.
So came to Vna,who him ioyd tosee,
And after litlerest, gan him desire,
Of her aduenturemindfull for to bee.
So leaue they take of Coelia, and her daughters three.
The knight with that old Dragon fights
two dayes incessantly:
The third him ouerthrowes, and gayns
most glorious victory.
High time now gan it wex for Vna faire,
To thinke of those her captiue Parents deare,
And their for wasted kingdome to repaire:
Whereto whenas theynow approched neare,
With hartie wordsher knight she gan tocheare,
And in her modestmanner thus bespake;
Deare knight, asdeare, as euer knightwas deare,
That all thesesorrowes suffer for mysake,
High heauen behold the tedious toyle, ye for me take. Now are we come vnto my natiuesoyle,
And to the place,where all our perilsdwell;
Here haunts thatfeend, and does hisdayly spoyle,
Thereforehenceforth be at your keepingwell,
And euer ready foryour foeman fell.
The sparke of noblecourage now awake,
And striue yourexcellent selfe to excell;
That shall yeeuermore renowmed make,
Aboue all knights on earth, that batteill vndertake.
And pointing forth, lo yonderis (said she)
The brasen towre inwhich my parents deare
For dread of thathuge feend emprisond be
Whom I from far seeon the walles appeare
Whose sight myfeeble soule doth greatlycheare:
And on the top ofall I do espye
The watchmanwayting tydings glad toheare,
That ™ my parentsmight I happily
Vnto you bring, to ease you of your misery.
With that they heard a roaringhideous sound,
That all the ayrewith terrour filledwide,
And seemd vneath toshake the stedfastground.
Eftsoones thatdreadfull Dragon theyespide,
Where stretcht helay vpon the sunny side
Of a great hill,himselfe like a greathill.
But all so soone,as he from far descride
Those glistringarmes, that heauen withlight did fill,
He rousd himselfe full blith, and hastned them vntill.
Then bad the knight his Ladyyede aloofe,
And to an hill herselfe with draw aside,
From whence shemight behold thatbattailles proof
And eke be safefrom daunger far descryde:
She him obayd, andturnd a little wyde.
Now O thou sacredMuse, most learned Dame,
Faire ympe of Phoebus,and hisaged bride,
The Nourse of time,and euerlasting fame,
That warlike hands ennoblest with immortall name;
O gently come into my feeblebrest,
Come gently, butnot with that mightyrage,
Wherewith themartiall troupes thou doestinfest,
And harts of greatHero‘s doestenrage,
That nought theirkindled courage mayaswage,
Soone as thydreadfull trompe begins tosownd;
The God of warrewith his fiers equipage
Thou doest awake,sleepe neuer he sosownd,
And scared nations doest with horrour sterne astownd.
Faire Goddesse lay thatfurious fit aside,
Till I of warresand bloudy Marsdo sing,
And Briton fieldswith Sarazin bloudbedyde,
Twixt that greatfaery Queene and Paynimking,
That with theirhorrour heauen and earthdid ring,
A worke of labourlong, and endlesseprayse:
But now a while letdowne that haughtiestring,
And to my tunes thysecond tenor rayse,
That I this man of God his godly armes may blaze.
By this the dreadfull Beastdrew nigh to hand,
Halfe flying, andhalfe footing in hishast,
That with hislargenesse measured muchland,
And made wideshadow vnder his huge wast;
As mountaine doththe valley ouercast.
Approching nigh, hereared high afore
His body monstrous,horrible, and vast,
Which to increasehis wondrous greatnessemore,
Was swolne with wrath, & poyson, & with bloudy gore.
And ouer, all with brasenscales was armd,
Like plated coateof steele, so couchedneare,
That nought moteperce, ne might hiscorse be harmd
With dint of sword,nor push of pointedspeare;
Which as an Eagle,seeing pray appeare,
His aery plumesdoth rouze, full rudelydight,
So shaked he, thathorrour was to heare,
For as the clashingof an Armour bright,
Such noyse his rouzed scales did send vnto the knight.
His flaggy wings when forth hedid display,
Were like twosayles, in which the hollowwynd
Is gathered full,and worketh speedy way:
And eke the pennes,that did his pineonsbynd,
Were likemayne-yards, with flying canuaslynd,
With which whenashim list the ayre tobeat,
And there by forcevnwonted passage find,
The cloudes beforehim fled for terrourgreat,
And all the heauens stood still amazed with his threat.
His huge long tayle wound vpin hundred foldes,
Does ouerspred hislong bras-scaly backe,
Whose wreathedboughts when euer hevnfoldes,
And thickeentangled knots adown doesslacke.
Bespotted all withshields of red andblacke,
It sweepeth all the landbehind him farre,
And of threefurlongs does but litlelacke;
And at the pointtwo stings in-fixed arre,
Both deadly sharpe, that sharpest steele exceeden farre.
But stings and sharpest steeledid far exceed
The sharpnesse ofhis cruell rendingclawes;
Dead was it sure,as sure as death indeed,
What euer thingdoes touch his rauenouspawes,
Or what within hisreach he euer drawes.
But his mosthideous head my toung to tell
Does tremble: forhis deepe deuouringiawes
Wide gaped, likethe griesly mouth ofhell,
Through which into his darke abisse all rauin fell.
And that more wondrous was, ineither iaw
Three ranckes ofyron teeth enraungedwere,
In which yettrickling bloud and gobbetsraw
Of late deuouredbodies did appeare,
That sight thereofbred cold congealedfeare:
Which to increase,and as atonce to kill,
A cloud ofsmoothering smoke and sulphurseare
Out of his stinkinggorge forth steemedstill,
That all the ayre about with smoke and stench did fill.
His blazing eyes, like twobright shining shields,
Did burne withwrath, and sparkled liuingfyre;
As two broadBeacons, set in open fields,
Send forth theirflames farre off toeuery shyre,
And warning giue,that enemies conspyre,
With fire and swordthe region to inuade;
So flam'd his eynewith rage andrancorous yre:
But farre within,as in a hollow glade,
Those glaring lampes were set, that made a dreadfull shade.
So dreadfully he towards himdid pas,
Forelifting vpaloft his speckled brest,
And often boundingon the brused gras,
As for greatioyance of his newcome guest.
Eftsoones he ganaduance his haughtiecrest,
As chauffed Borehis bristles dothvpreare,
And shoke hisscales to battell readiedrest;
That made the Redcrosseknightnigh quake for feare,
As bidding bold defiance to his foeman neare.
The knight gan fairely couchhis steadie speare,
And fiercely ran athim with rigorousmight:
The pointed steelearriuing rudely theare,
His harder hidewould neither perce, norbight,
But glauncing byforth passed forwardright;
Yet sore amouedwith so puissant push,
The wrathfull beastabout him turnedlight,
And him so rudelypassing by, did brush
With his long tayle, that horse and man to ground did rush.
Both horse and man vp lightlyrose againe,
And fresh encountertowards him addrest:
But th'idle strokeyet backe recoyld invaine,
And found no placehis deadly point torest.
Exceeding rageenflam'd the furious beast,
To be auenged of sogreat despight;
For neuer felt hisimperceable brest
So wondrous force,from hand of liuingwight;
Yet had he prou'd the powre of many a puissant knight.
Then with his wauing wingsdisplayed wyde,
Himselfe vp high helifted from theground,
And with strongflight did forcibly diuide
The yielding aire,which nigh too feeblefound
Her flittingpartes, and element vnsound,
To beare so great aweight: he cutting way
With his broadsayles, about him soaredround:
At last lowstouping with vnweldie sway,
Snatcht vp both horse & man, to beare them quite away.
Long he them bore aboue thesubiect plaine,
So farre as Ewghenbow a shaft may send,
Till strugglingstrong did him at lastconstraine,
To let them downebefore his flightes end:
As hagard haukepresuming to contend
With hardie fowle,aboue his hable might,
His wearie pouncesall in vaine dothspend,
To trusse the praytoo heauie for hisflight;
Which comming downe to ground, does free it selfe by fight.
He so disseized of his grypinggrosse,
The knight histhrillant speare againeassayd
In his bras-platedbody to embosse,
And three mensstrength vnto the strokehe layd;
Wherewith thestiffe beame quaked, asaffrayd,
And glauncing fromhis scaly necke, didglyde
Close vnder hisleft wing, then broaddisplayd.
The percing steelethere wrought a woundfull wyde,
That with the vncouth smart the Monster lowdly cryde.
He cryde, as raging seas arewont to rore,
When wintry stormehis wrathfull wreckdoes threat,
The rollingbillowes beat the raggedshore,
As they the earthwould shoulder from herseat,
And greedie gulfedoes gape, as he wouldeat
His neighbourelement in his reuenge:
Then gin theblustring brethren boldlythreat,
To moue the worldfrom off his stedfasthenge,
And boystrous battell make, each other to auenge.
The steely head stucke faststill in his flesh,
Till with hiscruell clawes he snatchtthe wood,
And quite a sunderbroke. Forth flowedfresh
A gushing riuer ofblacke goarie blood,
That drowned allthe land, whereon hestood;
The streame thereofwould driue awater-mill.
Trebly augmentedwas his furious mood
With bitter senseof his deepe rooted ill,
That flames of fire he threw forth fro[m] his large nosethrill.
His hideous tayle then hurledhe about,
And therewith allenwrapt the nimble thyes
Of his froth-fomysteed, whose couragestout
Striuing to loosethe knot, that fast himtyes,
Himselfe instreighter bandes too rashimplyes,
That to the groundhe is perforceconstraynd
To throw his rider:who can quickly ryse
From off the earth,with durty blouddistaynd,
For that reprochfull fall right fowly he disdaynd.
And fiercely tooke histrenchand blade in hand,
With which hestroke so furious and sofell,
That nothing seemdthe puissance couldwithstand:
Vpon his crest thehardned yron fell,
But his morehardned crest was armd sowell,
That deeper dinttherein it would notmake;
Yet so extremelydid the buffe him quell,
That fromthenceforth he shund the liketo take,
But when he saw them come, he did them still forsake.
The knight was wrath to seehis stroke beguyld,
And smote againewith more outrageousmight;
But backe againethe sparckling steelerecoyld,
And left not anymarke, where it didlight;
As if in Adamantrocke it had bene pight.
The beast impatientof his smarting wound,
And of so fierceand forcible despight,
Thought with hiswings to stye aboue theground;
But his late wounded wing vnseruiceable found.
Then full of griefe andanguish vehement,
He lowdly brayd,that like was neuerheard,
And from his widedeuouring ouen sent
A flake of fire,that flashing in hisbeard,
Him all amazd, andalmost made affeard:
The scorching flamesore swinged all hisface,
And through hisarmour all his bodieseard,
That he could notendure so cruell cace,
But thought his armes to leaue, and helmet to vnlace.
Not that great Champion of theantique world,
Whom famous Poetesverse so much dothvaunt,
And hath for tweluehuge labours highextold,
So many furies andsharpe fits did haunt,
When him thepoysoned garment did enchaunt
With Centauresbloud, and bloudieverses charm'd,
As did this knighttwelue thousanddolours daunt,
Whom fyrie steelenow burnt, that earsthim arm'd,
That erst him goodly arm'd, now most of all him harm'd.
Faint, wearie, sore, emboyled,grieued, brent
With heat, toyle,wounds, armes, smart,& inward fire
That neuer man suchmischiefes didtorment;
Death better were,death did he oftdesire,
But death willneuer come, when needesrequire.
Whom so dismaydwhen that his foe beheld,
He cast to sufferhim no more respire,
But gan his sturdiesterne about to weld,
And him so strongly stroke, that to the ground him feld.
It fortuned (as faire it thenbefell)
Behind his backevnweeting, where hestood,
Of auncient timethere was a springingwell,
From which fasttrickled forth a siluerflood,
Full of greatvertues, and for med'cinegood.
Whylome, beforethat cursed Dragon got
That happie land,and all with innocentblood
Defyld those sacredwaues, it rightly hot
The well of life, ne yet his vertues had forgot.
For vnto life the dead itcould restore,
And guilt ofsinfull crimes cleane washaway,
Those that withsicknesse were infectedsore,
Itcould recure, and aged long decay
Renew, as one wereborne that very day.
Both Silothis, and Iordandid excell,
And th'English Bath,and eke thegerman Spau,
Ne can Cephise,nor Hebrusmatch this well:
Into the same the knight backe ouerthrowen, fell.
Now gan the golden Phoebusfor to steepe
His fierie face inbillowes of the west,
And his faintsteedes watred in Oceandeepe,
Whiles from theiriournall labours theydid rest,
When that infernallMonster, hauing kest
His wearie foe intothat liuing well,
Can high aduancehis broad discolouredbrest,
Aboue his wontedpitch, with countenancefell,
And clapt his yron wings, as victor he did dwell.
Which when his pensiue Ladiesaw from farre,
Great woe andsorrow did her soule assay,
As weening that thesad end of the warre,
And gan to highestGod entirely pray,
That feared chancefrom her to turne away;
With folded handsand knees full lowlybent
All night shewatcht, ne once adownewould lay
Her daintie limbsin her sad dreriment,
But praying still did wake, and waking did lament.
The morrow next gan early toappeare,
That Titanrose to runne hisdaily race:
But early ere themorrow next gan reare
Out of the seafaire Titans deawyface,
Vp rose the gentlevirgin from her place,
And looked allabout, if she might spy
Her loued knight tomoue his manly pace:
For she had greatdoubt of his safety,
Since late she saw him fall before his enemy.
At last she where he vpstartedbraue
Out of the well,wherein he drenched lay;
As Eagle fresh outof the Ocean waue,
Where he hath lefthis plumes all hoarygray,
And deckt himselfewith feathers youthlygay,
Like Eyas hauke vpmounts vnto the skies,
His newly buddedpineons to assay,
And marueiles athimselfe, still as heflies:
So new this new-borne knight to battell new did rise.
Whom when the damned feend sofresh did spy,
No wonder if hewondred at the sight,
And doubted,whether his late enemy
Itwere, or other new supplied knight.
He, now to prouehis late renewed might,
High brandishinghis bright deaw-burningblade,
Vpon his crestedscalpe so sore did smite,
That to the scull ayawning wound it made:
The deadly dint his dulled senses all dismaid.
I wote not, whether thereuenging steele
Were hardned withthat holy water dew,
Wherein he fell, orsharper edge didfeele,
Or his baptizedhands now greater grew;
Or other secretvertue did ensew;
Else neuer couldthe force of fleshlyarme,
Ne molten mettallin his bloud embrew:
For till thatstownd could neuer wighthim harme,
By subtilty, nor slight, nor might, nor mighty charme.
The cruell wound enraged himso sore,
That loud he yeldedfor exceeding paine;
As hundred rampingLyons seem'd to rore,
Whom rauenoushunger did theretoconstraine:
Then gan he tossealoft his stretchedtraine,
And therewithscourge the buxome aire sosore,
That to his forceto yeelden it was faine;
Ne ought hissturdie strokes might standafore,
That high trees ouerthrew, and rocks in peeces tore.
The same aduauncing high abouehis head,
With sharpeintended sting so rude himsmot,
That to the earthhim droue, as strickendead,
Ne liuing wightwould haue him life behot:
The mortall stinghis angry needle shot
Quite through hisshield, and in hisshoulder seasd,
Where fast itstucke, ne would there outbe got:
The griefe thereofhim wondrous sorediseasd,
Ne might his ranckling paine with patience be appeasd.
But yet more mindfull of hishonour deare,
Then of thegrieuous smart, which him didwring,
From loathed soilehe can him lightlyreare,
And stroue to loosethe farre infixedsting:
Which when in vainehe tryde withstruggeling.
Inflam'd withwrath, his raging blade heheft,
And.strooke sostrongly, that the knottystring
Of his huge tailehe quite a sunder cleft,
Fiue ioynts thereof he hewd, and but the stump him left.
Hart cannot thinke, whatoutrage, and what cryes,
With fouleenfouldred smoake and flashingfire,
The hell-bred beastthrew forth vnto theskyes,
That all wascouered with darknesse dire:
Then fraught withrancour, and engorgedire,
He cast at once himto auenge for all,
And gathering vphimselfe out of the mire,
With his vneuenwings did fiercely fall
Vpon his sunne-bright shield, and gript it fast withall.
Much was the man encombredwith his hold,
In feare to losehis weapon in his paw,
Ne wist yet, howhis talants to vnfold;
Nor harder was from Cerberusgreedie iaw
To plucke a bone,then from his cruellclaw
To reaue bystrength the griped gage away:
Thrise he assayd itfrom his foot to draw,
And thrise in vaineto draw it did assay,
It booted nought to thinke, to robbe him of his pray.
Tho when he saw no power mightpreuaile,
His trustie swordhe cald to his last aid,
Wherewith hefiercely did his foe assaile,
And double blowesabout him stoutly laid,
That glauncing fireout of the yron plaid;
As sparckles fromthe Anduile vse to fly,
When heauie hammerson the wedge areswaid;
Therewith at lasthe forst him to vnty
One of his grasping feete, him to defend thereby.
The other foot, fast fixed onhis shield,
Whenas no strength,nor stroks mote himconstraine
To loose, ne yetthe warlike pledge toyield,
He smot thereatwith all his might andmaine,
That nought sowondrous puissance mightsustaine;
Vpon the ioynt thelucky steele did light,
And made such way,that hewd it quite intwaine;
The paw yet missednot his minisht might,
But hong still on the shield, as it at first was pight.
For griefe thereof, anddiuelish despight,
From his infernallfournace forth he threw
Huge flames, thatdimmed all the heauenslight,
Enrold in duskishsmoke and brimstoneblew;
As burning Aetnafrom his boylingstew
Doth belch outflames, and rockes inpeeces broke,
And ragged ribs ofmountaines molten new,
Enwrapt incoleblacke clouds and filthysmoke,
That all the land with stench, and heauen with horror choke.
The heate whereof, andharmefull pestilence
So sore him noyd, that forst him to retire
A little backwardfor his best defence,
To saue his bodiefrom the scorching fire,
Which he fromhellish entrailes didexpire.
Itchaunst (eternall God that chaunce did guide)
As he recoyledbackward, in the mire
His nigh forweariedfeeble feet did slide,
And downe he fell, with dread of shame sore terrifide.
There grew a goodly tree himfaire beside,
Loaden with fruitand apples rosie red,
As they in purevermilion had beene dide,
Whereof greatvertues ouer all were red:
For happie life toall, which thereon fed,
And life ekeeuerlasting did befall:
Great God itplanted in that blessed sted
With his almightiehand, and did it call
The tree of life, the crime of our first fathers fall.
In all the world like was notto be found,
Saue in that soile,where all good thingsdid grow,
And freely sprongout of the fruitfullground,
As incorruptedNature did them sow,
Till that dreadDragon all did ouerthrow.
Another like fairetree eke grew thereby,
Whereof who so dideat, eftsoones did know
Both good and ill:O mornefull memory:
That tree through one mans fault hath doen vs all to dy.
From that first tree forthflowd, as from a well,
A trickling streameof Balme, mostsoueraine
And daintie deare,which on the groundstill fell,
And ouerflowed allthe fertill plaine,
As it had deawedbene with timely raine:
Life and longhealth that gratiousointment gaue,
And deadly woundescould heale, and reareagaine
The senselessecorse appointed for thegraue.
Into that same he fell: which did from death him saue.
For nigh thereto the euerdamned beast
Durst not approch,for he was deadly made,
And all that lifepreserued, did detest:
Yet he it oftaduentur'd to inuade.
By this thedrouping day-light gan to fade
And yeeld his roometo sad succeedingnight,
Who with her sablemantle gan to shade
The face of earth,and wayes of liuingwight,
And high her burning torch set vp in heauen bright.
When gentle Vna sawthe second fall
Of her deareknight, who wearie of longfight,
And faint throughlosse of bloud, mou'dnot at all,
But lay as in adreame of deepe delight,
Besmeard withpretious Balme, whosevertuous might
Did heale hiswounds, and scorching heatalay,
Againe she strickenwas with soreaffright,
And for his safetiegan deuoutly pray;
And watch the noyous night, and wait for ioyous day.
The ioyous day gan early toappeare,
And faire Aurorafrom the deawybed
Of aged Tithonegan her selfe toreare,
With rosie cheekes,for shame as blushingred;
Her golden lockesfor haste were looselyshed
About her eares,when Vna her didmarke
Clymbe to hercharet, all with flowersspred;
From heauen high tochase the chearelessedarke,
With merry note her loud salutes the mounting larke.
Then freshly vp arose thedoughtie knight,
All healed of hishurts and woundes wide,
Anddid himselfe to battell readie dight;
Whose early foe awaiting him beside
To haue deuourd, sosoone as day he spyde,
When now he sawhimselfe so freshly reare,
As if late fighthad nought him damnifyde,
He woxe dismayd,and gan his fate tofeare;
Nathlesse with wonted rage he him aduaunced neare.
And in his first encounter,gaping wide,
He thought attoncehim to haue swallowdquight,
And rusht vpon himwith outragious pride;
Who himr'encountring fierce, as hauke inflight,
Perforce rebuttedbacke. The weapon bright
Taking aduantage ofhis open iaw,
Ran through hismouth with so importunemight,
That deepe empersthis darksome hollowmaw,
And back retyrd, his life bloud forth with all did draw.
So downe he fell, and forthhis life did breath,
That vanisht intosmoke and cloudes swift;
So downe he fell,that th'earth himvnderneath
Did grone, asfeeble so great load tolift;
So downe he fell,as an huge rockie clift,
Whose falsefoundation waues haue washtaway,
With dreadfullpoyse is from themayneland rift,
And rolling downe,great Neptunedoth dismay;
So downe he fell, and like an heaped mountaine lay.
The knight himselfe euentrembled at his fall,
So huge andhorrible a masse it seem'd;
And his deareLadie, that beheld it all,
Durst not approchfor dread, which shemisdeem'd,
But yet at last,when as the direfullfeend
She saw not stirre,off-shaking vaineaffright,
She nigher drew,and saw that ioyous end:
Then God shepraysd, and thankt herfaithfull knight,
That had atchieu'd so great a conquest by his might.
Faire Vna to the Redcrosse knight
betrouthed is with ioy:
Though false Duessa it to barre
her false sleights doe imploy.
Be hold I see the hauen nigh at hand,
To which I meane my wearie course to bend;
Vere the maineshete, and beare vp withthe land,
The which afore isfairely to be kend,
And seemeth safefrom stormes, that mayoffend;
There this fairevirgin wearie of her way
Must landed be, nowat her iourneyes end:
There eke my feeblebarke a while maystay,
Till merry wind and weather call her thence away. Scarsely had Phoebusin the glooming East
Yet harnessed hisfirie-footed teeme,
Ne reard aboue theearth his flamingcreast,
When the lastdeadly smoke aloft didsteeme,
That signe of lastoutbreathed life didseeme,
Vnto the watchmanon the castle wall;
Who thereby deadthat balefull Beast diddeeme,
And to his Lord andLadie lowd gan call,
To tell, how he had seene the Dragons fatall fall.
Vprose with hastie ioy, andfeeble speed
That aged Sire, theLord of all that land,
And looked forth,to weet, if true indeede
Those tydings were,as he did vnderstand,
Which whenas trueby tryall he out fond,
He bad to open wydehis brazen gate,
Which long time hadbene shut, and out ofhond
Proclaymed ioy andpeace through all hisstate;
For dead now was their foe, which them forrayed late.
Then gan triumphant Trompetssound on hie,
That sent to heauenthe ecchoed report
Of their new ioy,and happie victorie
Gainst him, thathad them long opprestwith tort,
And fast imprisonedin sieged fort.
Then all thepeople, as in solemne feast,
To him assembledwith one full consort,
Reioycing at thefall of that great beast,
From whose eternall bondage now they were releast.
Forth came that auncient Lordand aged Queene,
Arayd in antiquerobes downe to theground,
And sad habilimentsright well beseene;
A noble crew aboutthem waited round
Of sage and soberPeres, all grauelygownd;
Whom farre beforedid march a goodly band
Of tall young men,all hable armes tosownd,
But now theylaurell braunches bore inhand;
Glad signe of victorie and peace in all their land.
Vnto that doughtie Conquerourthey came,
And him beforethemselues prostrating low,
Their Lord andPatrone loud did himproclame,
And at his feettheir laurell boughes didthrow.
Soone after themall dauncing on a row
The comely virginscame, with girlandsdight,
As fresh as flowresin medow greene dogrow,
When morning deawvpon their leaues dothlight:
And in their hands sweet Timbrels all vpheld on hight.
And them before, the fry ofchildren young
Their wanton sportsand childish mirthdid play,
And to the Maydenssounding tymbrels sung
In well attunednotes, a ioyous lay,
And madedelightfull musicke all the way,
Vntill they came,where that faire virginstood;
As faire Dianain fresh sommersday
Beholds herNymphes, enraung'd in shadiewood,
Some wrestle, some do run, some bathe in christall flood.
So she beheld those maydensmeriment
With chearefullvew; who when to her theycame,
Themselues toground with gratioushumblesse bent,
And her ador'd byhonorable name,
Lifting to heauenher euerlasting fame:
Then on her headthey set a girlandgreene,
And crowned hertwixt earnest and twixtgame;
Who in herselfe-resemblance well beseene,
Did seeme such, as she was, a goodly maiden Queene.
And after, all the raskallmany ran,
Heaped together inrude rablement
To see the face ofthat victorious man:
Whom all admired,as from heauen sent,
And gazd vpon withgaping wonderment.
But when they came,where that deadDragon lay,
Stretcht on theground in monstrous largeextent,
The sight with idlefeare did them dismay,
Ne durst approch him nigh, to touch, or once assay.
Some feard, and fled; somefeard and well it faynd;
One that wouldwiser seeme, then all therest,
Warnd him nottouch, for yet perhapsremaynd
Some lingring lifewithin his hollowbrest,
Or in his wombemight lurke some hiddennest
Of many Dragonets,his fruitfull seed;
Another said, thatin his eyes did rest
Yet sparcklingfire, and bad thereof takeheed;
Another said, he saw him moue his eyes indeed.
One mother, when as herfoolehardie chyld
Did come too neare,and with his talantsplay,
Halfe dead throughfeare, her litle babereuyld,
And to her gossipsgan in counsell say;
How can I tell, butthat his talants may
Yet scratch mysonne, or rend his tenderhand?
So diuerslythemselues in vaine they fray;
Whiles some morebold, to measure himnigh stand,
To proue how many acres he did spread of land.
Thus flocked all the folke himround about,
The whiles thathoarie king, with all histraine,
Being arriued, wherethat champion stout
After his foesdefeasance did remaine,
Him goodly greetes,and faire doesentertaine,
With princely giftsof yuorie and gold,
And thousandthankes him yeelds for allhis paine.
Then when hisdaughter deare he doesbehold,
Her dearely doth imbrace, and kisseth manifold.
And after to his Pallace hethem brings,
With shaumes, &trompets, & withClarions sweet;
And all the way theioyous people sings,
And with theirgarments strowes the pauedstreet:
Whence mounting vp, they find purueyancemeet
Of all, that royallPrinces court became,
And all the floorewas vnderneath theirfeet
Bespred with costlyscarlot of great name,
On which they lowly sit, and fitting purpose frame.
What needs me tell their feastand goodly guize,
In which wasnothing riotous nor vaine?
What needs ofdaintie dishes to deuize,
Of comely seruices,or courtly trayne?
My narrow leauescannot in them containe
The large discourseof royall Princesstate.
Yet was theirmanner then but bare andplaine:
For th'antiqueworld excesse and pridedid hate;
Such proud luxurious pompe is swollen vp but late.
Then when with meates anddrinkes of euery kinde
Their feruentappetites they quenched had,
That auncient Lordgan fit occasion finde,
Of straungeaduentures, and of perils sad,
Which in histrauell him befallen had,
For to demaund ofhis renowmed guest:
Who then withvtt'rance graue, andcount'nance sad
From point topoint, as is before exprest,
Discourst his voyage long, according his request.
Great pleasure mixt withpittifull regard,
That godly King andQueene did passionate,
Whiles they hispittifull aduenturesheard,
That oft they didlament his lucklessestate,
And often blame thetoo importune fate,
That heapd on himso many wrathfullwreakes:
For neuer gentleknight, as he of late,
So tossed was infortunes cruell freakes;
And all the while salt teares bedeawd the hearers cheaks.
Then said that royall Pere insober wise;
Deare Sonne, greatbeene the euils, whichye bore
From first to lastin your lateenterprise,
That I note,whether prayse, or pittymore:
For neuer liuingman, I weene, so sore
In sea of deadlydaungers was distrest;
But since now safeye seised haue theshore,
And well arriuedare, (high God be blest)
Let vs deuize of ease and euerlasting rest.
Ah dearest Lord, said thenthat doughty knight,
Of ease or rest Imay not yet deuize;
For by the faith,which I to armes haueplight,
I bounden amstreight after this emprize,
As that yourdaughter can ye well aduize,
Backe to returne tothat great FaerieQueene,
And her to seruesix yeares in warlikewize,
Gainst that proudPaynim king, thatworkes her teene:
Therefore I ought craue pardon, till I there haue beene.
Vnhappie falles that hardnecessitie,
(Quoth he) thetroubler of my happiepeace,
And vowed foe of myfelicitie;
Ne I against thesame can iustly preace:
But since that bandye cannot now release,
Nor doen vndo; (forvowes may not bevaine)
Soone as the termeof those six yearesshall cease,
Ye then shallhither backe returne againe,
The marriage to accomplish vowd betwixt you twain.
Which for my part I couet toperforme,
In sort as throughthe world I didproclame,
That who so kildthat monster mostdeforme,
And him in hardybattaile ouercame,
Should haue mineonely daughter to hisDame,
And of my kingdomeheire apparaunt bee:
Therefore since nowto thee perteines thesame,
By dew desert ofnoble cheualree,
Both daughter and eke kingdome, lo I yield to thee.
Then forth he called that hisdaughter faire,
The fairest Vn'his onelydaughter deare,
His onely daughter,and his onely heyre;
Who forthproceeding with sad sobercheare,
As bright as doththe morning starreappeare
Out of the East,with flaming lockesbedight,
To tell thatdawning day is drawing neare,
And to the worlddoes bring long wishedlight;
So faire and fresh that Lady shewd her selfe in sight.
So faire and fresh, asfreshest flowre in May;
For she had laydher mournefull stoleaside,
And widow-like sadwimple throwne away,
Wherewith herheauenly beautie she didhide,
Whiles on herwearie iourney she did ride;
And on her now agarment she did weare,
All lilly white, withoutten spot, or pride,
That seemd likesilke and siluer wouenneare,
But neither silke nor siluer therein did appeare.
The blazing brightnesse of herbeauties beame,
And glorious lightof her sunshyny face
To tell, were as tostriue against thestreame.
My ragged rimes areall too rude and bace,
Her heauenlylineaments for to enchace.
Ne wonder; for herowne deare louedknight,
All were she daylywith himselfe in place,
Did wonder much ather celestiall sight:
Oft had he seene her faire, but neuer so faire dight.
So fairely dight, when she inpresence came,
She to her Siremade humble reuerence,
And bowed low, thather right well became,
And added gracevnto her excellence:
Who with greatwisedome, and graueeloquence
Thus gan to say.But eare he thus hadsaid,
With flying speede,and seeming greatpretence,
Came running in,much like a man dismaid,
A Messenger with letters, which his message said.
All in the open hall amazedstood,
At suddeinnesse ofthat vnwarie sight,
And wondred at hisbreathlesse hastiemood.
But he for noughtwould stay his passageright,
Till fast beforethe king he did alight;
Where falling flat,great humblesse hedid make,
And kist theground, whereon his foot waspight;
Then to his handsthat writ he did betake,
Which he disclosing, red thus, as the paper spake.
To thee, most mighty king of Edenfaire,
Her greeting sendsin these sad linesaddrest,
The wofulldaughter, and forsaken heire
Of that greatEmperour of all the West;
And bids thee beaduized for the best,
Ere thou thydaughter linck in holy band
Of wedlocke to thatnew vnknowen guest:
For he alreadyplighted his right hand
Vnto another loue, and to another land.
To me sad mayd, or ratherwidow sad,
He was affiauncedlong time before,
And sacred pledgeshe both gaue, and had,
False errauntknight, infamous, andforswore:
Witnesse theburning Altars, which heswore,
And guiltie heauensof his bold periury,
Which though hehath polluted oft of yore,
Yet I to them foriudgement iust do fly,
And them coniure t'auenge this shamefull iniury.
Therefore since mine he is, orfree or bond,
Or false or trew,or liuing or else dead,
Withhold, Osoueraine Prince, your hastyhond
From knittingleague with him, I youaread;
Ne weene my rightwith strength adowne totread,
Through weakenesseof my widowhed, or woe:
For truth isstrong, her rightfull causeto plead,
And shall findfriends, if need requirethsoe,
So bids thee well to fare, Thy neither friend, nor foe, Fidessa.
When he these bitter bytingwords had red,
The tydingsstraunge did him abashed make,
That still he satelong time astonished
As in great muse,ne word to creaturespake.
At last his solemnesilence thus he brake,
With doubtfull eyesfast fixed on hisguest;
Redoubted knight,that for mine onely sake
Thy life and honourlate aduenturest,
Let nought be hid from me, that ought to be exprest.
What meane these bloudy vowes,and idle threats,
Throwne out fromwomanish impatient mind?
What heauens? whataltars? what enragedheates
Here heaped vp withtermes of loue vnkind,
My consciencecleare with guilty bandswould bind?
High God bewitnesse, that I guiltlesseame.
But if your selfe,Sir knight, ye faultiefind,
Or wrapped be inloues of former Dame,
With crime do not it couer, but disclose the same.
To whom the Redcrosseknight this answere sent,
My Lord, my King,be nought hereatdismayd,
Till well ye woteby graue intendiment,
What woman, andwherefore doth me vpbrayd
With breach ofloue, and loyalty betrayd.
Itwas in my mishaps, as hitherward
I lately traueild,that vnwares I strayd
Out of my way,through perils straungeand hard;
That day should faile me, ere I had them all declard.
There did I find, or rather Iwas found
Of this false woman, that Fidessa hight,
Fidessahight the falsest Dame onground,
Most false Duessa,royall richlydight,
That easie wast'inuegle weaker sight:
Who by her wickedarts, and wylie skill,
Too false andstrong for earthly skill ormight,
Vnwares me wroughtvnto her wicked will,
And to my foe betrayd, when least I feared ill.
Then stepped forth the goodlyroyall Mayd,
And on the groundher selfe prostratinglow,
With sobercountenaunce thus to him sayd;
O pardon me, mysoueraigne Lord, to show
The secrettreasons, which of late I know
To haue bene wroghtby that falsesorceresse.
She onely she itis, that earst did throw
This gentle knightinto so greatdistresse,
That death him did awaite in dayly wretchednesse.
And now it seemes, that shesuborned hath
This craftiemessenger with letters vaine,
To worke new woeand improuided scath,
By breaking of theband betwixt vs twaine;
Wherein she vsedhath the practicke paine
Of this falsefootman, clokt withsimplenesse,
Whom if ye pleasefor to discouer plaine,
Ye shall him Archimagofind, Ighesse,
The falsest man aliue; who tries shall find no lesse.
The king was greatly moued ather speach,
And all withsuddein indignation fraight,
Bad on thatMessenger rude hands to reach.
Eftsoones the Gard,which on his statedid wait,
Attacht that faitorfalse, and bound himstrait:
Who seeming sorelychauffed at his band,
As chained Beare,whom cruell dogs dobait,
With idle force didfaine them towithstand,
And often semblaunce made to scape out of their hand.
But they him layd full low indungeon deepe,
And bound him handand foote with yronchains.
And with continuallwatch did warelykeepe;
Who then wouldthinke, that by hissubtile trains
He could escapefowle death or deadlypaines?
Thus when thatPrinces wrath was pacifide,
He gan renew thelate forbidden banes,
And to the knighthis daughter deare hetyde,
With sacred rites and vowes for euer to abyde.
His owne two hands the holyknots did knit,
That none but deathfor euer can deuide;
His owne two hands,for such a turne mostfit,
The housling firedid kindle and prouide,
And holy waterthereon sprinckled wide;
At which the bushyTeade a groome didlight,
And sacred lampe insecret chamber hide,
Where it should notbe quenched day nornight,
For feare of euill fates, but burnen euer bright.
Then gan they sprinckle allthe posts with wine,
And made greatfeast to solemnize thatday;
They all perfumdewith frankincensediuine,
And precious odoursfetcht from far away,
That all the housedid sweat with greataray:
And all the whilesweete Musicke did apply
Her curious skill,the warbling notes toplay,
To driue away thedull Melancholy;
The whiles one sung a song of loue and iollity.
During the which there was anheauenly noise
Heard sound throughall the Pallacepleasantly,
Like as it had benemany an Angels voice,
Singing beforeth'eternall maiesty,
In their trinalltriplicities on hye;
Yet wist nocreature, whence thatheauenly sweet
Proceeded, yet eachone felt secretly
Himselfe therebyreft of his sences meet,
And rauished with rare impression in his sprite.
Great ioy was made that day ofyoung and old,
And solemne feastproclaimd throughoutthe land,
That theirexceeding merth may not betold:
Suffice it heare bysignes to vnderstand
The vsuall ioyes atknitting of louesband.
Thrise happy manthe knight himselfe didhold,
Possessed of hisLadies hart and hand,
And euer, when hiseye did her behold,
His heart did seeme to melt in pleasures manifold.
Her ioyous presence and sweetcompany
In full content hethere did long enioy,
Ne wicked enuie, nevile gealosy
His deare delightswere able to annoy:
Yet swimming inthat sea of blisfull ioy,
He nought forgot,how he whilome hadsworne,
In case he couldthat monstrous beastdestroy,
Vnto his FarieQueene backe to returne:
The which he shortly did, and Vna left to mourne.
Now strike your sailes yeiolly Mariners,
For we be come vntoa quiet rode,
Where we must landsome of our passengers,
And light thiswearie vessell of her lode.
Here she a whilemay make her safe abode,
Till she repairedhaue her tackles spent,
And wants supplide.And then againe abroad
On the long voyagewhereto she is bent:
Well may she speede and fairely finish her intent.
FINIS LIB. I.
|
