triall late did teach That like would not for all this worldes wealth His subtill tongue like dropping honny mealt'h Into the hart and searcheth euery vaine That ere one be aware by secret stealth His powre is rest and weaknesse doth remaine O neuer Sir desire to try his guilefull traine Certes said he hence shall I neuer rest Till I that treachours art haue heard and tride 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 that same 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 and stubs 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 clifts Arriued there That bare-head knight for dread and dolefull teene Would faine haue fled ne durst approchen neare But th' other forst him stay and comforted in feare That darkesome caue they enter where they find That cursed man low sitting on the ground Musing full sadly in his sulle in mind His griesie lockes long growen and vnbound Disordred hong about his shoulders round And hid his face through which his hollow eyne Look deadly dull and stared as astound His raw-bone cheekes through penurie and pine Where shronke into his iawes as he did neuer dine His garment nought but many ragged clouts With thornes together pind and patched was The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts And him beside there lay vpon the gras A 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 liniug breath Or let him die at ease that liueth here vneath Who trauels by the wearie wandring way To come vnto his wished home in haste And meetes a flood that doth his passage stay Is not great grace to helpe him ouer past Or free his feet that in the 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 enioy eternall 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 his suddeine 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 euer thing is donne In heauen and earth did not he all create To die againe all ends that was begonne Their times in his eternall booke of fate Are written sure and haue their 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 Whē houre of death is come let none aske whence nor why The lenger life I wote the greater 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 no further 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 death hast 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 ô 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 this doth 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 enmoued with his speach That as a swords point
and wilde Breedes dreadfull doubts Oft fire is without smoke And perill without show therefore your hardy 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 perill of 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 greedy hardiment 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 durtie ground 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 eachone 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 her den 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 Elfe perceiu'ed 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 frō 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 sore constraint 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 her filthy 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 Nilus gins 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 ebbe 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 feed Such vgly monstrous shapes elswhere may no man reed The same so sore annoyed has the 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 sweete euen-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 rafther hatefull head without remorse A streame of cole black bloud forth gushed frō her corse Her scattred brood soone as their 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 much amazde 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 that chaunst 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 his Steede 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 passeth forth and new aduenture sought Long way he trauelled before he heard of ought At length they chaunst to meet vpon the way An aged Sire in long blacke weedes yclad His feete all bare his beard all
when iust time expired should appeare But whether dreames delude or true it were Was neuer hart so rauisht with delight Ne liuing man like words did euer heare As she to me deliuered all that night And at her parting said She Queene of Faeries hight When I awoke and found her place deuoyd And nought but pressed gras where she had lyen I sorrowed all so much as earst I ioyd And washed all her place with watry eyen From that day forth I lou'd that face diuine From that day forth I cast in carefull mind To seeke her out with labour and long tyne And neuer vow to rest till her I find Nine monethes I seeke in vaine yet ni'll that vow vnbind Thus as he spake his visage wexed pale And chaunge of hew great passion did bewray Yet still he stroue to cloke his inward bale And hide the smoke that did his fire display Till gentle Vna thus to him gan say O happy Queene of Faeries that hast found Mongst many one that with his prowesse may Defend thine honour and thy foes confound True Loues are oftē sown but seldom grow on ground Thine O then said the gentle Redcrosse knight Next to that Ladies loue shal be the place O fairest virgin full of heauenly light Whose wondrous faith exceeding earthly race Was firmest fixt in mine extremest case And you my Lord the Patrone of my life Of that great Queene may well gaine worthy grace For onely worthy you through prowes priefe Yf liuing man mote worthy be to be her liefe So diuersly discoursing of their loues The golden Sunne his glistring head gan shew And sad remembraunce now the Prince amoues With fresh desire his voyage to pursew Al 's Vna earnd her traueill to renew Then those two knights fast friendship for to bynd And loue establish each to other trew Gaue goodly gifts the signes of gratefull mynd And eke the pledges firme right hands together ioynd Prince Arthur gaue a boxe of Diamond sure Embowd with gold and gorgeous ornament Wherein were closd few drops of liquor pure Of wondrous worth and vertue excellent That any wound could heale incontinent Which to requite the Redcrosse knight him gaue A booke wherein his Saueours testament Was writ with golden letters rich and braue A worke of wondrous grace and able soules to saue Thus beene they parted Arthur on his way To seeke his loue and th' other for to fight With Vnaes foe that all her realme did pray But she now weighing the decayed plight And shrunken synewes of her chosen knight Would not a while her forward course pursew Ne bring him forth in face of dreadfull fight Till he recouered had his former hew For him to be yet weake and wearie well she knew So as they traueild lo they gan espy An armed knight towards them gallop fast That seemed from some feared foe to fly Or other griesly thing that him agast Still as he fled his eye was backward cast As if his feare still followed him behind Al 's flew his steed as he his bands had brast And with his winged heeles did tread the wind As he had beene a fole of Pegasus his kind Nigh as he drew they might perceiue his head To be vnarmd and curld vncombed heares Vpstaring stiffe dismayd with vncouth dread Nor drop of bloud in all his face appeares Nor life in limbe and to increase his feares In fowle reproch of knighthoods faire degree About his neck an hempen rope he weares That with his glistring armes does ill agree But he of rope or armes has now no memoree The Redcrosse knight toward him crossed fast To weet what mister wight was so dismayd There him he finds all sencelesse and aghast That of him selfe he seemd to be afrayd Whom hardly he from flying forward stayd Till he these wordes to him deliuer might Sir knight aread who hath ye thus arayd And eke from whom make ye this hasty flight For neuer knight I saw in such misseeming plight He answerd nought at all but adding new Feare to his first amazment staring wide With stony eyes and hartlesse hollow hew Astonisht stood as one that had aspide Infernall furies with their chaines vntide Him yet againe and yet againe bespake The gentle knight who nought to him replide But trembling euery ioynt did inly quake And foltring tongue at last these words seemd forth to shake For Gods deare loue Sir knight do me not stay For loe he comes he comes fast after mee Eft looking backe would faine haue runne away But he him forst to stay and tellen free The secret cause of his perplexitie Yet nathemore by his bold hartie speach Could his bloud-frosen hart emboldned bee But through his boldnesse rather feare did reach Yet forst at last he made through silence suddein breach And am I now in safetie sure quoth he From him that would haue forced me to dye And is the point of death now turnd fro mee That I may tell this haplesse history Feare nought quoth he no daunger now is nye Then shall I you recount a ruefull cace Said he the which with this vnlucky eye I late beheld and had not greater grace Me reft from it had bene partaker of the place I lately chaunst Would I had neuer chaunst With a faire knight to keepen companee Sir Terwin hight that well himselfe aduaunst In all affaires and was both bold and free But not so happie as mote happie bee He lou'd as was his lot a Ladie gent That him againe lou'd in the least degree For she was proud and of too high intent And ioyd to see her louer languish and lament From whom returning sad and comfortlesse As on the way together we did fare We met that villen God from him me blesse That cursed wight from whom I scapt whyleare A man of hell that cals himselfe Despaire Who first vs greets and after faire areedes Of tydings strange and of aduentures rare So creeping close as Snake in hidden weedes Inquireth of our states and of our knightly deedes Which when he knew and felt our feeble harts Embost with bale and bitter byting griefe Which loue had launched with his deadly darts With wounding words and termes of foule repriefe He pluckt from vs all hope of due reliefe That earst vs held in loue of lingring life Then hopelesse hartlesse gan the cunning thiefe Perswade vs die to stint all further strife To me he lent this rope to him a rustie knife With which sad instrument of hastie death That wofull louer loathing lenger light A wide way made to let forth liuing breath But I more fearefull or more luckie wight Dismayd with that deformed dismall sight Fled fast away halfe dead with dying feare Ne yet assur'd of life by you Sir knight Whose like infirmitie like chaunce may beare But God you neuer let his charmed speeches heare How may a man said he with idle speach Be wonne to spoyle the Castle of his health I wote quoth he whom
see and tyred limbs to rest O matrone sage quoth she I hither came And this good knight his way with me addrest Led with thy prayses and broad-blazed fame That vp to heauen is blowne The auncient Dame Him goodly greeted in her modest guise And entertaynd them both as best became With all the court'sies that she could deuise Ne wanted ought to shew her bounteous or wise Thus as they gan of sundry things deuise Loe two most goodly virgins came in place Ylinked arme in arme in louely wise With countenance demure and modest grace They numbred 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 lilly white And in her right hand bore a cup of gold With wine and water fild vp to the hight In which a Serpent did himselfe enfold That horrour made to all that did behold But she no whit did chaunge her constant mood And in her other hand she fast did hold A booke that was both signd and seald with blood Wherein darke things were writ hard to be vnderstood Her younger sister that Speranza hight Was clad in blew that her beseemed well Not all so chearefull seemed she of sight As was her sister whether dread did dwell Or anguish in her hart is hard to tell Vpon her arme a siluer anchor lay Whereon she leaned euer as befell And euer vp to heauen 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 speeches they betwene them spend And greatly ioy each other well to see Then to the knight with shamefast modestie They turne themselues at Vnaes meeke request And him salute with well beseeming glee Who faire them quites as him beseemed best And goodly gan discourse of many a noble gest Then Vna thus But she your sister deare The deare Charissa where is she become Or wants she health or busie is elsewhere Ah no said they but forth she may not come For she of late is lightned of her wombe And hath encreast the world with one sonne more That her to see should be but troublesome Indeede quoth she that should be trouble sore But thankt be God and her encrease so euermore Then said the aged Coelia Deare dame And you good Sir I wote that of your toyle And labours long through which ye hither came Ye both forwearied be therefore a whyle I read you rest and to your bowres recoyle Then called she a Groome that forth him led Into a goodly lodge and gan despoile Of puissant armes and laid in easie bed His name was meeke Obedience rightfully ared Now when their wearie limbes with kindly rest And bodies were refresht with due repast Faire Vna gan Fidelia faire request To haue her knight into her schoolehouse plaste That of her heauenly learning he might taste And heare the wisedome of her words diuine She graunted and that knight so much agraste That she him taught celestiall discipline And opened his dull eyes that light mote in them shine And that her sacred Booke with bloudy writ That none could read except she did them teach She vnto him disclosed euery whit And heauenly documents thereout did preach That weaker wit of man could neuer reach Of God of grace of iustice of free will That wonder was to heare her goodly speach 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 out her larger spright She would commaund the hastie Sunne to stay Or backward turne his course from heauens hight Sometimes great hostes of men she could dismay And eke huge mountaines from their natiue seat She would commaund themselues to beare away And throw in raging sea with roaring threat Almightie God her gaue such powre and puissance great The faithfull knight now grew in litle space By hearing her and by her sisters lore To such perfection of all heauenly grace That wretched world he gan for to abhore And mortall life gan loath as thing forlore Greeu'd with remembrance of his wicked wayes And prickt with anguish of his sinnes so sore That he desirde to end his wretched dayes So much the dart of sinfull guilt the soule dismayes But wise Speranza gaue him comfort sweet And taught him how to take assured hold Vpon her siluer anchor as was meet Else had his sinnes so great and manifold Made him forget all that Fidelia told In this distressed doubtfull agonie When him his dearest Vna did behold Disdeining life desiring leaue to die She found her selfe assayld with great perplexitie And came to Coelia to declare her smart Who well acquainted with that commune plight Which sinfull horror workes in wounded hart Her wisely comforted all that she might With goodly counsell and aduisement right And streightway sent with carefull diligence To fetch a Leach the which had great insight In that disease of grieued conscience And well could cure the same His name was Patience Who comming to that soule-diseased knight Could hardly him intreat to tell his griefe Which knowne and all that noyd his heauie spright Well searcht eftsoones he gan apply reliefe Of salues and med'cines which had passing priefe And thereto added words of wondrous might By which to ease he him recured briefe And much asswag'd the passion of his plight That he his paine endur'd as seeming now more light But yet the cause and root of all his ill Inward corruption and infected sin Not purg'd nor heald behind remained still And festring sore did rankle yet within Close creeping twixt the marrow and the skin Which to extirpe he laid him priuily Downe in a darkesome lowly place farre in Whereas he meant his corrosiues to apply And with streight diet tame his stubborne malady In ashes and sackcloth he did array His daintie corse proud humors to abate And dieted with fasting euery day The swelling of his wounds to mitigate And made him pray both earely and eke late And euer as superfluous flesh did rot Amendment readie still at hand did wayt To pluck it out with pincers firie whot That soone in him was left no one corrupted iot And bitter Penance with an yron whip Was wont him once to disple euery day And sharpe Remorse his hart did pricke and nip That drops of bloud thence like a well did play And sad Repentance vsed to embay His bodie in salt water smarting sore The filthy blots of sinne to wash away So in short space they did to health restore The man that would not liue but earst lay at deathes dore which his torment often was so great That like a Lyon he would cry and rore And rend his flesh and his owne synewes eat His owne deare Vna hearing euermore His ruefull shriekes and
great industree Shortly therein so perfect he became That from the first vnto the last degree His mortall life he learned had to frame In holy righteousnesse without rebuke or blame Thence forward by that painfull way they pas Forth to an hill that was both steepe and hy On top whereof a sacred chappell was And eke a litle Hermitage thereby Wherein an aged holy man did lye That day and night said his deuotion Ne other worldly busines did apply His name was heauenly Contemplation Of God and goodnesse was his meditation Great grace that old man to him giuen had For God he often saw from heauens hight All were his earthly eyen both blunt and bad And through great age had lost their kindly sight Yet wondrous quick and persant was his spright As Eagles eye that can behold the Sunne That hill they scale with all their powre and might That his frayle thighes nigh wearie and fordonne Gan faile but by her helpe the top at last he wonne There they do finde that godly aged Sire With snowy lockes adowne his shoulders shed As hoarie frost with spangles doth attire The mossy braunches of an Oke halfe ded Each bone might through his body well be red And euery sinew seene through his long fast For nought he car'd his carcas long vnfed His mind was full of spirituall repast And pyn'd his flesh to keepe his body low and chast Who when these two approching he aspide At their first presence grew agrieued sore That forst him lay his heauenly thoughts aside And had he not that Dame respected more Whom highly he did reuerence and adore He would not once haue moued for the knight They him saluted standing far afore Who well them greeting humbly did requight And asked to what end they clomb that tedious height What end quoth he should cause vs take such paine But that same end which euery liuing wight Should make his marke high heauen to attaine Is not from hence the way that leadeth right To that most glorious house that glistreth bright With burning starres and euerliuing fire Whereof the keyes are to thy hand behight By wise Fidelia she doth thee require To shew it to this knight according his desire Thrise happy man said then the father graue Whose staggering steps thy steady hand doth lead And shewes the way his sinfull soule to saue Who better can the way to heauen aread Then thou thy selfe that was both borne and bred In heauenly throne where thousand Angels shine Thou doest the prayers of the righteous sead Present before the maiestie diuine And his auenging wrath to clemencie incline Yet since thou bidst thy pleasure shal be donne Then come thou man of earth and see the way That neuer yet was seene of Faeries sonne That neuer leads the traueiler astray But after labours long and sad delay Bring them to ioyous rest and endlesse blis But first thou must a season fast and pray Till from her bands the spright assoiled is And haue her strength recur'd from fraile infirmitis That done he leads him to the highest Mount Such one as that same mighty man of God That bloud-red billowes like a walled front On either side disparted with his rod Till that his army dry-foot through them yod Dwelt fortie dayes vpon where writ in stone With bloudy letters by the hand of God The bitter doome of death and balefull mone He did receiue whiles flashing fire about him shone Or like that sacred hill whose head full hie Adornd with fruitfull Oliues all arownd Is as it were for endlesse memory Of that deare Lord who oft thereon was fownd For euer with a flowring girlond crownd Or like that pleasaunt Mount that is for ay Through famous Poets verse each where renownd On which the thrise three learned Ladies play Their heauenly notes and make full many a louely lay From thence far off he vnto him did shew A litle path that was both steepe and long Which to a goodly Citie led his vew Whose wals and towres were builded high and strong Of perle and precious stone that earthly tong Cannot describe nor wit of man can tell Too high a ditty for my simple song The Citie of the great king hight it well Wherein eternall peace and happinesse doth dwell As he thereon stood gazing he might see The blessed Angels to and fro descend From highest heauen in gladsome companee And with great ioy into that Citie wend As commonly as friend does with his frend Whereathe wondred much and gan enquere What stately building durst so high extend Her loftie towres vnto the starry sphere And what vnknowen nation there empeopled were Faire knight quoth he Hierusalem that is The new Hierusalem that God has built For those to dwell in that are chosen his His chosen people purg'd from sinfull guilt With piteous bloud which cruelly was spilt On cursed tree of that vnspotted lam That for the sinnes of all the world was kilt Now are they Saints all in that Citie sam More deare vnto their God then yoūglings to their dam. Till now said then the knight I weened well That great Cleopolis where I haue beene In which that fairest Faerie Queene doth dwell The fairest Citie was that might be seene And that bright towre all built of christall cleene Panthea seemd the brightest thing that was But now by proofe all otherwise I weene For this great Citie that does far surpas And this bright Angels towre quite dims that towre of glas Most trew then said the holy aged man Yet is Cleopolis for earthly fame The fairest peece that eye beholden can And well beseemes all knights of noble name That couet in th' immortall booke of fame To be eternized that same to haunt And doen their seruice to that soueraigne Dame That glorie does to them for guerdon graunt For she is heauenly borne and heauen may iustly vaunt And thou faire ymp sprong out from English race How euer now accompted Elsins sonne Well worthy doest thy seruice for her grace To aide a virgin desolate foredonne But when thou famous victorie hast wonne And high emongst all knights hast hong thy shield Thenceforth the suit of earthly conquest shonne And wash thy hands from guilt of bloudy field For bloud can nought but sin wars but sorrowes yield Then seeke this path that I to thee presage Which after all to heauen shall thee send Then peaceably to thy painefull pilgrimage To yonder same Hierusalem do bend Where is for thee ordaind a blessed end For thou emongst those Saints whom thou doest see Shalt be a Saint and thine owne nations frend And Patrone thou Saint George shalt 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 it attaind were in like cace Quoth he as wretched and liu'd in like paine But deeds of armes must I at last be faine And Ladies loue to leaue
wisest men I weene that liued in their ages Not he whom Greece the Nourse of all good arts By Phoebus doome the wisest thought aliue Might be compar'd to these by many parts Nor that sage Pylian syre which did suruiue Three ages such as mortall men contriue By whose aduise old Priams cittie fell With these in praise of pollicies mote striue These three in these three roomes did sundry dwell And counselled faire Alma how to gouerne well The first of them could things to come foresee The next could of things present best aduize The third things past could keepe in memoree So that no time nor reason could arize But that the same could one of these comprize For thy the first did in the forepart sit That nought mote hinder his quicke preiudize He had a sharpe foresight and working wit That neuer idle was ne once could rest a whit His chamber was dispainted all within With sundry colours in the which were writ Infinite shapes of things dispersed thin Some such as in the world were neuer yit Ne can deuized be of mortall wit Some daily seene and knowen by their names Such as in idle fantasies doe flit Infernall Hags Centaurs feendes Hippodames Apes Lions Aegles Owles fooles louers children Dames And all the chamber filled was with flyes Which buzzed all about and made such sound That they encombred all mens eares and eyes Like many swarmes of Bees assembled round After their hiues with honny do abound All those were idle thoughts and fantasies Deuices dreames opinions vnsound Shewes visions sooth-sayes and prophesies And all that fained is as leasings tales and lies Emongst them all sate he which wonned there That hight Phantastes by his nature trew A man of yeares yet fresh as mote appere Of swarth complexion and of crabbed hew That him full of melancholy did shew Bent hollow beetle browes sharpe staring eyes That mad or foolish seemd one by his vew More deeme him borne with ill disposed skyes When oblique Saturne sate in the house of agonyes Whom Alma hauing shewed to her guestes Thence brought thē to the second roome whose wals Were painted faire with memorable gestes Of famous Wisards and with picturals Of Magistrates of courts of tribunals Of commen wealthes of states of pollicy Of lawes of iudgements and of decretals All artes all science all Philosophy And all that in the world was aye thought wittily Of those that roome was full and them among There sate a man of ripe and perfect age Who did them meditate all his life long That through continuall practise and vsage He now was growne right wise and wondrous sage Great pleasure had those stranger knights to see His goodly reason and graue personage That his disciples both desir'd to bee But Alma thence thē led to th'hindmost roome of three That chamber seemed ruinous and old And therefore was remoued farre behind Yet were the wals that did the same vphold Right firme strong though somewhat they declind And therein sate an old oldman halfe blind And all decrepit in his feeble corse Yet liuely vigour rested in his mind And recompenst him with a better scorse Weake body well is chang'd for minds redoubled forse This man of infinite remembrance was And things foregone through many ages held Which he recorded still as they did pas Ne suffred them to perish through long eld As all things else the which this world doth weld But laid them vp in his immortall scrine Where they for euer incorrupted dweld The warres he well remembred of king Nine Of old Assaracus and Inachus diuine The yeares of Nestor nothing were to his Ne yet Mathusalem though longest liu'd For he remembred both their infancies Ne wonder then if that he were depriu'd Of natiue strength now that he them suruiu'd His chamber all was hangd about with rolles And old records from auncient times deriu'd Some made in books some in long parchmēt scrolles That were all worme-eaten and full of canker holes Amidst them all he in a chaire was set Tossing and turning them withouten end But for he was vnhable them to set A litle boy did on him still attend To reach when euer he for ought did send And oft when things were lost or laid amis That boy them sought and vnto him did lend Therefore he Anamnestes cleped is And that old man Eumnestes by their propertis The knights there entring did him reuerence dew And wondred at his endlesse exercise Then as they gan his Librarie to vew And antique Registers for to auise There chaunced to the Princes hand to rize An auncient booke hight Briton moniments That of this lands first conquest did deuize And old diuision into Regiments Till it reduced was to one mans gouernments Sir Guyon chaunst eke on another booke That hight Antiquitie of Faerie lond In which when as he greedily did looke Th'off-spring of Elues and Faries there he fond As it deliuered was from hond to hond Whereat they burning both with feruent fire Their countries auncestry to vnderstond Crau'd leaue of Alma and that aged sire To read those bookes who gladly graunted their desire Cant. X. A chronicle of Briton kings from Brute to Vthers rayne And rolles of Elfin Emperours till time of Gloriane WHo now shall giue vnto me words and sound Equall vnto this haughtie enterprise Or who shal lend me wings with which from ground My lowly verse may loftily arise And lift it selfe vnto the highest skies More ample spirit then hitherto was wount Here needes me whiles the famous auncestries Of my most dreaded Soueraigne I recount By which all earthly Princes she doth farre surmount Ne vnder Sunne that shines so wide and faire Whence all that liues does borrow life and light Liues ought that to her linage may compaire Which though from earth it be deriued right Yet doth it selfe stretch forth to heauens hight And all the world with wonder ouerspred A labour huge exceeding farre my might How shall fraile pen with feare disparaged Conceiue such soueraine glory and great bountihed Argument worthy of Moenian quill Or rather worthy of great Phoebus rote Whereon the ruines of great Ossa hill And triumphes of Phelegraean Ioue he wrote That all the Gods admird his loftie note But if some relish of that heauenly lay His learned daughters would to me report To decke my song withall I would assay Thy name ô soueraine Queene to blazon farre away Thy name ô soueraine Queene thy realme and race From this renowmed Prince deriued arre Whom mightily vpheld that royall mace Which now thou bearst to thee descended farre From mightie kings and conquerours in warre Thy fathers and great Grandfathers of old Whose noble deedes aboue the Northerne starre Immortall fame for euer hath enrold As in that old mans booke they were in order told The land which warlike Britons now possesse And therein haue their mightie empire raysd In antique times was saluage wildernesse Vnpeopled vnmanurd vnprou'd vnpraysd Ne was it Island then ne was it
the bud the flowre Ne more doth flourish after first decay That earst was sought to decke both bed and bowre Of many a Ladie and many a Paramowre Gather therefore the Rose whilest yet is prime For soone comes age that will her pride deflowre Gather the Rose of loue whilest yet is time Whilest louing thou mayst loued be with equall crime He ceast and then gan all the quire of birdes Their diuerse notes t'attune vnto his lay As in approuance of his pleasing words The constant paire heard all that he did say Yet swarued not but kept their forward way Through many couert groues and thickets close In which they creeping did at last display That wanton Ladie with her louer lose Whose sleepie head she in her lap did soft dispose Vpon a bed of Roses she was layd As faint through heat or dight to pleasant sin And was arayd or rather disarayd All in a vele of silke and siluer thin That hid no whit her alablaster skin But rather shewd more white if more might bee More subtile web Arachne can not spin Nor the fine nets which oft we wouen see Of scorched deaw do not in th' aire more lightly flee Her snowy brest was bare to readie spoyle Of hungry eies which n'ote therewith be fild And yet through languour of her late sweet toyle Few drops more cleare then Nectar forth distild That like pure Orient perles adowne it trild And her faire eyes sweet smyling in delight Moystened their fierie beames with which she thrild Fraile harts yet quenched not like starry light Which sparckling on the silent waues does seeme more bright The young man sleeping by her seemd to bee Some goodly swayne of honorable place That certes it great pittie was to see Him his nobilitie so foule deface A sweet regard and amiable grace Mixed with manly sternnesse did appeare Yet sleeping in his well proportiond face And on his tender lips the downy heare Did now but freshly spring and silken blossomes beare His warlike armes the idle instruments Of sleeping praise were hong vpon a tree And his braue shield full of old moniments Was fowly ra'st that none the signes might see Ne for them ne for honour cared hee Ne ought that did to his aduauncement tend But in lewd loues and wastfull luxuree His dayes his goods his bodie he did spend O horrible enchantment that him so did blend The noble Elfe and carefull Palmer drew So nigh them minding nought but lustfull game That suddein forth they on them rusht and threw A subtile net which onely for the same The skilfull Palmer formally did frame So held them vnder fast the whiles the rest Fled all away for feare of fowler shame The faire Enchauntresse so vnwares opprest Tryde all her arts all her sleights thence out to wrest And eke her louer stroue but all in vaine For that same net so cunningly was wound That neither guile nor force might it distraine They tooke them both both them strongly bound In captiue bandes which there they readie found But her in chaines of adamant he tyde For nothing else might keepe her safe and sound But Verdant so he hight he soone vntyde And counsell sage in steed thereof to him applyde But all those pleasant bowres and Pallace braue Guyon broke downe with rigour pittilesse Ne ought their goodly workmanship might saue Them from the tempest of his wrathfulnesse But that their blisse he turn'd to balefulnesse Their groues he feld their gardins did deface Their arbers spoyld their Cabinets suppresse Their banket houses burne their buildings race And of the fairest late now made the fowlest place Then led they her away and eke that knight They with them led both sorrowfull and sad The way they came the same retourn'd they right Till they arriued where they lately had Charm'd those wild-beasts that rag'd with furie mad Which now awaking fierce at them gan fly As in their mistresse reskew whom they lad But them the Palmer soone did pacify Then Guyon askt what meant those beastes which there didly Said he these seeming beasts are men indeed Whom this Enchauntresse hath transformed thus Whylome her louers which her lusts did feed Now turned into figures hideous According to their mindes like monstruous Sad end quoth he of life intemperate And mournefull meed of ioyes delicious But Palmer if it mote thee so aggrate Let them returned be vnto their former state Streight way he with his vertuous staffe them strooke And streight of beasts they comely men became Yet being men they did vnmanly looke And stared ghastly some for inward shame And some for wrath to see their captiue Dame But one aboue the rest in speciall That had an hog beene late hight Grille by name Repined greatly and did him miscall That had from hoggish forme him brought to naturall Said Guyon See the mind of beastly man That hath so soone forgot the excellence Of his creation when he life began That now he chooseth with vile difference To be a beast and lacke intelligence To whom the Palmer thus The donghill kind Delights in filth and foule incontinence Let Grill be Grill and haue his hoggish mind But let vs hence depart whilest wether serues and wind THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Contayning THE LEGEND OF BRITOMARTIS OR Of Chastitie IT falles me here to write of Chastity That fairest vertue farre aboue the rest For which what needs me fetch from Faery Forreine ensamples it to haue exprest Sith it is shrined in my Soueraines brest And form'd so liuely in each perfect part That to all Ladies which haue it profest Need but behold the pourtraict of her hart If pourtrayd it might be by any liuing art But liuing art may not least part expresse Nor life-resembling pencill it can paint All were it Zeuxis or Praxiteles His daedale hand would faile and greatly faint And her perfections with his error taint Ne Poets wit that passeth Painter farre In picturing the parts of beautie daint So hard a workmanship aduenture darre For fear through want of words her excellence to marre How then shall I Apprentice of the skill That whylome in diuinest wits did raine Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill Yet now my lucklesse lot doth me constraine Hereto perforce But ô dred Soueraine Thus farre forth pardon sith that choicest wit Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure plaine That I in colourd showes may shadow it And antique praises vnto present persons fit But if in liuing colours and right hew Your selfe you couet to see pictured Who can it doe more liuely or more trew Then that sweet verse with Nectar sprinckeled In which a gracious seruant pictured His Cynthia his heauens fairest light That with his melting sweetnesse rauished And with the wonder of her beames bright My senses lulled are in slomber of delight But let that same delitious Poet lend A little leaue vnto a rusticke Muse To sing his mistresse prayse and let him mend If ought amis her
sith they warlike armes haue layd away They haue exceld in artes and pollicy That now we foolish men that prayse gin eker'enuy Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent Be thou faire Britomart whose prayse I write But of all wisedome be thou precedent Endite I would as dewtie doth excite But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre When in so high an obiect they do lite And striuing fit to make I feare do marre Thy selfe thy prayses tell and make them knowen farre She trauelling with Guyon by the way Of sundry things faire purpose gan to find T'abridg their iourney long and lingring day Mongst which it fell into that Faeries mind To aske this Briton Mayd what vncouth wind Made her dissemble her disguised kind Faire Lady she him seemd like Lady drest But fairest knight aliue when armed washer brest Thereat she sighing softly had no powre To speake a while ne ready answere make But with hart-thrilling throbs and bitter stowre As if she had a feuer fit did quake And euery daintie limbe with horrour shake And euer and anone the rosy red Flasht through her face as it had beene a flake Oflightning through bright heauen fulmined At last the passion past she thus him answered Faire Sir I let you weete that from the howre I taken was from nourses tender pap I haue beene trained vp in warlike stowre To tossen speare and shield and to affrap The warlike ryder to his most mishap Sithence I loathed haue my life to lead As Ladies wont in pleasures wanton lap To finger the fine needle and nyce thread Me leuer were with point of foemans speare be dead All my delights deedes of armes is set To hunt out perils and aduentures hard By sea by land where so they may be met Onely for honour and for high regard Without respect of richesse or reward For such intent into these parts I came Withouten compasse or withouten card Far fro my natiue soyle that is by name The greater Britaine here to seeke for prayse and fame Fame blazed hath that here in Faery lond Do many famous Knightes and Ladies wonne And many straunge aduentures to be fond Of which great worth and worship may be wonne Which I to proue this voyage haue begonne But mote I weet of you right curteous knight Tydings of one that hath vnto me donne Late foule dishonour and reprochfull spight The which I seeke to wreake and Arthegall he hight The word gone out she backe againe would call As her repenting so to haue missayd But that he it vp-taking ere the fall Her shortly answered Faire martiall Mayd Certes ye misa uised beene t'vpbrayd A gentle knight with so vnknightly blame For weet ye well of all that euer playd At tilt or tourney or like warlike game The noble Arthegall hath euer borne the name For thy great wonder were it if such shame Should euer enter in his bounteous thought Or euer do that mote deseruen blame The noble courage neuer weeneth ought That may vnworthy of it selfe be thought Therefore faire Damzell be ye well aware Least that too farre ye haue your sorrow sought You and your countrey both I wish welfare And honour both for each of other worthy are The royall Mayd woxe inly wondrous glad To heare her Loue so highly magnifide And ioyd that euer she affixed had Her hart on knight so goodly glorifide How euer finely she it faind to hide The louing mother that nine monethes did beare In the deare closet of her paine full side Her tender babe it seeing safe appeare Doth not so much reioyce as she reioyced theare But to occasion him to further talke To feed her humour with his pleasing stile Her list in strifull termes with him to balke Aud thus replide How euer Sir ye file Your curteous tongue his prayses to compile It ill beseemes a knight of gentle sort Such as ye haue him boasted to beguile A simple mayd and worke so haynous tort In shame of knighthood as I largely can report Let be therefore my vengeaunce to disswade And read where I that faytour false may find Ah but if reason faire might you perswade To slake your wrath and mollifie your mind Said he perhaps ye should it better find For hardy thing it is to weene by might That man to hard conditions to bind Or euer hope to match in equall fight Whose prowesse paragon saw neuer liuing wight Ne soothlich is it easie for to read Where now on earth or how he may be found For he ne wonneth in one certaine stead But restlesse walketh all the world around Ay doing things that to his same redound Defending Ladies cause and Orphans right Where so he heares that any doth confound Them comfortlesse through tyranny or might So is his soueraine honour raisde to heavens hight His feeling words her feeble sence much pleased And softly sunck into her molten hart Hart that is inly hurt is greatly eased With hope of thing that may allegge his smart For pleasing words are like to Magick art That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay Such secret ease felt gentle Britomart Yet list the same efforce with faind gainesay So dischord oft in Musick makes the sweeter lay And said Sir knight these idle termes forbeare And sith it is vneath to find his haunt Tell me some markes by which he may appeare If chaunce I him encounter parauant For perdie one shall other slay or daunt What shape what shield what armes what steed what sted And what so else his person most may vaunt All which the Redcrosse knight to point ared And him in euery part before her fashioned Yet him in euery part before she knew How euer list her now her knowledge faine Sith him whilome in Britaine she did vew To her reuealed in a mirrhour plaine Whereof did grow her first engraffed paine Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did tast That but the fruit more sweetnesse did containe Her wretched dayes in dolour she mote wast And yield the pray of loue to lothsome death at last By strange occasion she did him behold And much more strangely gan to loue his sight As it in bookes hath written bene of old In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight What time king Ryence raign'd and dealed right The great Magitian Merlin had deuiz'd By his deepe science and hell-dreaded might A looking glasse right wondrously aguiz'd Whose vertues through the wyde world soone were solemniz'd It vertue had to shew in perfect sight What euer thing was in the world contaynd Betwixt the lowest earth and heauens hight So that it to the looker appertaynd What euer foe had wrought or frend had faynd Therein discouered was ne ought mote pas Ne ought in secret from the same remaynd For thy it round and hollow shaped was Like to the world it selfe and seem'd a world of glas Who wonders not that reades so wonderous worke But who does wonder that has red the Towre Wherein th' Aegyptian Phaeo long