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
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
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
to despaire did turne Misdeeming sure that her those flames did burne And therefore gan aduize with her old Squire Who her deare nourslings losse no lesse did mourne Thence to depart for further aide t' enquire Where let them wend at will whilest here I doe respire A Vision vpon this conceipt of the Faery Queene ME thought I saw the graue where Laura lay Within that Temple where the vestall flame Was wont to burne and passing by that way To see that buried dust of liuing fame Whose tombe faire loue and fairer vertue kept All suddenly I saw the Faery Queene At whose approch the soule of Petrarke wept And from thenceforth those graces were not seene For they this Queene attended in whose steed Obliuion laid him downe on Lauras herse Hereat the hardest stones were seene to bleed And grones of buried ghostes the heauens did perse Where Homers spright did tremble all for griefe And curst th' accesse of that celestiall theife Another of the same THe prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings As doth the Cuckoes song delight when Philumena sings If thou hast formed right true vertues face herein Vertue her selfe can best discerne to whom they written bin If thou hast beautie praysd let her sole lookes diuine Iudge if ought therein be amis and mend it by her eine If Chastitie want ought or Temperance her dew Behold her Princely mind aright and write thy Queene anew Meane while she shall perceiue how farre her vertues sore Aboue the reach of all that liue or such as wrote of yore And thereby will excuse and fauour thy good will Whose vertue can not be exprest but by an Angels quill Of me no lines are lou'd nor letters are of price Of all which speake our English tongue but those of thy deuice W.R. To the learned Shepheard COllyn I see by thy new taken taske some sacred fury hath enricht thy braynes That leades thy muse in haughtie verse to maske and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto kings So like the liuely Larke that mounting sings Thy louely Rosolinde seemes now forlorne and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in scorne those prety pypes that did thy mates delight Those trustie mates that loued thee so well VVhom thou gau'st mirth as they gaue thee the bell Yet as thou earst with thy sweet roundelayes didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes delight the dainty eares of higher powers And so mought they in their deepe skanning skill Alow and grace our Collyns flowing quill And fare befall that Faerie Queene of thine in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sits Enfusing by those bewties fiers deuine Such high conceites into thy humble wits As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede From rusticke tunes to chaunt heroique deedes So mought thy Redcrosse knight with happy hand victorious be in that faire Hands right VVhich thou doest vaile in Type of Faery land Elyzas blessed field that Albion hight That shieldes her friends and warres her mightie foes Yet still with people peace and plentie flowes But iolly Shepheard though with pleasing style thou feast the humour of the Courtly traine Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright From whence thy Muse and all the world takes light Hobynoll THE SECOND PART OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Containing THE FOVRTH FIFTH AND SIXTH BOOKES By Ed. Spenser ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London for VVilliam Ponsonby 1596. THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Containing The Legend of CAMBEL and TELAMOND OR OF FRIENDSHIP THe rugged forhead that with graue foresight Welds kingdomes causes affaires of state My looser rimes I wote doth sharply wite For praising loue as I haue done of late And magnifying louers deare debate By which fraile youth is oft to follie led Through false allurement of that pleasing baite That better were in vertues discipled Then with vaine poemes weeds to haue their fancies fed Such ones ill iudge of loue that cannot loue Ne in their frosen hearts feele kindly flame For thy they ought not thing vnknowne reproue Ne naturall affection faultlesse blame For fault of few that haue abusd the same For it of honor and all vertue is The roote and brings forth glorious flowres of fame That crowne true louers with immortall blis The meed of them that loue and do not liue amisse Which who so list looke backe to former ages And call to count the things that then were donne Shall find that all the workes of those wise sages And braue exploits which great Heroes wonne In loue were either ended or begunne Witnesse the father of Philosophie Which to his Critias shaded oft from sunne Of loue full manie lessons did apply The which these Stoicke censours cannot well deny To such therefore I do not sing at all But to that sacred Saint my soueraigne Queene In whose chast breast all bountie naturall And treasures of true loue enlocked beene Boue all her sexe that euer yet was seene To her I sing of loue that loueth best And best is lou'd of all aliue I weene To her this song most fitly is addrest The Queene of loue Prince of peace frō heauen blest Which that she may the better deigne to heare Do thou dred infant Venus dearling doue From her high spirit chase imperious feare And vse of awfull Maiestie remoue In sted thereof with drops of melting loue Deawd with ambrosiall kisses by thee gotten From thy sweete smyling mother from aboue Sprinckle her heart and haughtie courage soften That she may hearke to loue and reade this lesson often Cant. I. Fayre Britomart saues Amoret Duessa discord breedes Twixt Scudamour and Blandamour Their fight and warlike deedes OF louers sad calamities of old Full many piteous stories doe remaine But none more piteous euer was ytold Then that of Amorets hart-binding chaine And this of Florimels vnworthie paine The deare compassion of whose bitter fit My softened heart so sorely doth constraine That I with teares full oft doe pittie it And oftentimes doe wish it neuer had bene writ For from the time that Scudamour her bought In perilous fight she neuer ioyed day A perilous fight when he with force her brought From twentie Knights that did him all assay Yet fairely well he did them all dismay And with great glorie both the shield of loue And eke the Ladie selfe he brought away Whom hauing wedded as did him behoue A new vnknowen mischiefe did from him remoue For that same vile Enchauntour Busyran The very selfe same day that she was wedded Amidst the bridale feast whilest euery man Surcharg'd with wine were heedlesse and ill hedded All bent to mirth before the bride was bedded Brought in that mask of loue which late was showen And there the Ladie ill of friends bestedded By way of sport as oft