follow was but fruitlesse paine Yet she her weary limbes would neuer rest But euery hil and dale each wood and plaine Did search sore grieued in her gentle brest He so vngently left her whome she loued best But subtill Archimago when his guests He saw diuided into double parts And Vna wandring in woods and forrests Th' end of his drift he praisd his diuelish arts That had such might ouer true meaning harts Yet rests not so but other meanes doth make How he may worke vnto her further smarts For her he hated as the hissing snake And in her many troubles did most pleasure take He then deuisde himselfe how to disguise For by his mighty science he could take As many formes and shapes in seeming wise As euer Proteus to himselfe could make Sometime a fowle sometime a fish in lake Now like a foxe now like a dragon fell That of himselfe he ofte for feare would quake And oft would flie away O who can tell The hidden powre of herbes and might of Magick spel But now seemde best the person to put on Of that good knight his late beguiled guest In mighty armes he was yclad anon And siluer shield vpon his coward brest A bloody crosse and on his crauen crest A bounch of heares discolourd diuersly Full iolly knight he seemde and wel addrest And when he sate vppon his courser free Saint George himselfe ye would haue deemed him to be But he the knight whose semblaunt he did beare The true Saint George was wandred far away Still flying from his thoughts and gealous feare Will was his guide and griefe led him astray At last him chaunst to meete vpon the way A faithlesse Sarazin all armde to point In whose great shield was writ with letters gay Sans foy full large of limbe and euery ioint He was and cared not for God or man a point Hee had a faire companion of his way A goodly Lady clad in scarlotred Purfled with gold and pearle of rich assay And like a Persian mitre on her hed Shee wore with crowns and owches garnished The which her lauish louers to her gaue Her wanton palfrey all was ouerspred With tinsell trappings wouen like a waue Whose bridle rung with golden bels and bosses braue With faire disport and courting dalliaunce She intertainde her louer all the way But when she saw the knight his speare aduaunce Shee soone left of her mirth and wanton play And bad her knight addresse him to the fray His foe was nigh at hand He prickte with pride And hope to winne his Ladies hearte that day Forth spurred fast adowne his coursers side The red bloud trickling staind the way as he did ride The knight of the Redcrosse when him he spide Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous Gan fairely couch his speare and towards ride Soone meete they both both fell and furious That daunted with theyr forces hideous Theit steeds doe stagger and amazed stand And eke themselues too rudely rigorous Astonied with the stroke of their owne hand Doe backe rebutte and ech to other yealdeth land As when two rams stird with ambitious pride Fight for the rule of the rich fleeced flocke Their horned fronts so fierce on either side Doe meete that with the terror of the shocke Astonied both stands fencelesse as a blocke Forgetfull of the hanging victory So stood these twaine vnmoued as a rocke Both staring fierce and holding idely The broken reliques of their former cruelty The Sarazin sore daunted with the buffe Snatcheth his sword and fiercely to him flies Who well it wards and quyteth cuff with cuff Each others equall puissaunce enuies And through their iron sides with cruelties Does seeke to perce repining courage yields No foote to foe The flashing fier flies As from a forge out of their burning shields And streams of purple bloud new dies the verdāt fields Curse on that Crosse qd then the Sarazin That keepes thy body from the bitter fitt Dead long ygoe I wote thou haddest bin Had not that charme from thee forwarned itt But yet I warne thee now assured sitt And hide thy head Therewith vpon his crest With rigorso outrageous he smitt That a large share it hewd out of the rest And glauncing downe his shield from blame him fairely blest Who thereat wondrous wroth the sleeping spark Of natiue vertue gan eftsoones reuiue And at his haughty helmet making mark So hugely stroke that it the steele did riue And cleft his head He tumbling downe aliue With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis Greeting his graue his grudging ghost did striue With the fraile flesh at last it flitted is Whether the soules doe fly of men that liue amis The Lady when she saw her champion fall Like the old ruines of a broken towre Staid not to waile his woefull funerall But from him fled away with all her powre Who after her as hastily gan scowre Bidding the dwarfe with him to bring away The Sarazins shield signe of the conqueroure Her soone he ouertooke and bad to stay For present cause was none of dread her to dismay Shee turning backe with ruefull countenaunce Cride Mercy mercy Sir vouchsafe to show On silly Dame subiect to hard mischaunce And to your mighty wil. Her humblesse low In so ritch weedes and seeming glorious show Did much emmoue his stout heroïcke heart And said Deare dame your suddein ouerthrow Much rueth me but now put feare apart And tel both who ye be and who that tooke your part Melting in teares then gan shee thus lament The wreched woman whom vnhappy howre Hath now made thrall to your commandement Before that angry heauens list to lowre And fortune false betraide me to thy powre Was O what now auaileth that I was Borne the sole daughter of an Emperour He that the wide West vnder his rule has And high hath set his throne where Tiberis doth pas He in the first flowre of my freshest age Betrothed me vnto the onely haire Of a most mighty king most rich and sage Was neuer Prince so faithfull and so faire Was neuer Prince so meeke and debonaire But ere my hoped day of spousall shone My dearest Lord fell from high honors staire Into the hands of hys accursed fone And cruelly was slaine that shall I euer mone His blessed body spoild of liuely breath Was afterward I know not how conuaid And fro me hid of whose most innocent death When tidings came to mee vnhappy maid O how great sorrow my sad soulea ssaid Then forth I went his woefull corse to find And many yeares throughout the world I straid A virgin widow whose deepe wounded mind With loue long time did languish as the striken hind At last it chaunced this proud Sarazin To meete me wandring who perforce me led With him away but yet could neuer win The Fort that Ladies hold in soueraigne dread There lies he now with foule dishonor dead Who whiles he liude was called proud Sans foy The eldest of three brethren all
did carrie vnder feigned hew Thus well instructed to their worke they haste And comming where the knight in slomber lay The one vpon his hardie head him plaste And made him dreame of loues and lustfull play That nigh his manly hart did melt away Bathed in wanton blis and wicked ioy Then seemed him his Lady by him lay And to him playnd how that false winged boy Her chaste hart had subdewd to learne Dame pleasures toy And she her selfe of beautie soueraigne Queene Fayre Venus seem de vnto his bed to bring Her whom he waking euermore did weene To bee the chastest flowre that aye did spring On earthly braunch the daughter of a king Now a loose Leman to vile seruice bound And eke the Graces seemed all to sing Hymen 1 10 Hymen dauncing all around Whylst freshest Flora her with Yuie girlond crownd In this great passion of vnwonted lust Or wonted feare of doing ought amis He starteth vp as seeming to mistrust Some secret ill or hidden foe of his Lo there before his face his Ladie is Vnder blacke stole hyding her bayted hooke And as halfe blushing offred him to kis With gentle blandishment and louely looke Most like that virgin true which for her knight him took All cleane dismayd to see so vncouth sight And halfe enraged at her shamelesse guise He thought haue slaine her in his fierce despight But hastie heat tempring with sufferance wise He stayde his hand and gan himselfe aduise To proue his sense and tempt her faigned truth Wringing her hands in wemens pitteous wise Tho can she weepe to stirre vp gentle ruth Both for her noble blood and for her tender youth And sayd Ah Sir my liege Lord and my loue Shall I accuse the hidden cruell fate And mightie causes wrought in heauen aboue Or the blind God that doth me thus amate For hoped loue to winne me certaine hate Yet thus perforce he bids me do or die Die is my dew yet rew my wretched state You whom my hard auenging destinie Hath made iudge of my life or death indifferently Your owne deare sake forst me at first to leaue My Fathers kingdom There she stopt with teares Her swollen hart her speech seemd to bereaue And then againe begonne My weaker yeares Captiu'd to fortune and frayle worldly feares Fly to your fayth for succour and sure ayde Let me not die in languor and long teares Why Dame quoth he what hath ye thus dismayd What frayes ye that were wont to comfort me affrayd Loue of your selfe she saide and deare constraint Le ts me not sleepe but waste the wearie night In secret anguish and vnpittied plaint Whiles you in carelesse sleepe are drowned quight Her doubtfull words made that redoubted knight Suspect her truth yet since no'vntruth he knew Her fawning loue with foule disdainefull spight He would not shend but said Deare dame I rew That for my sake vnknowne such griefe vnto you grew Assure your selfe it fell not all to ground For all so deare as life is to my hart I deeme your loue and hold me to you bound Nelet vaine feares procure your needlesse smart Where cause is none but to your rest depart Not all content yet seemd she to appease Her mournefull plaintes beguiled of her art And 〈◊〉 with words that could not chose but please So slyding softly forth she turnd as to her ease Long after lay he musing at her mood Much grieu'd to thinke that gentle Dame so light For whose defence he was to shed his blood At last dull wearines of former fight Hauing yrockt a sleepe his irkesome spright That troublous dreame gan freshly tosse his braine With bowres and beds and ladies deare delight But when he saw his labour all was vaine With that misformed spright he backe returnd againe Cant. II. The guilefull great Enchaunter parts The Redcrosse Knight from Truth Into whose steps faire falshood steps And workes him woefull ruth BY this the Northerne wagoner had set His seuenfold teme behind the stedfast starre That was in Ocean waues yet neuer wet Bur firme is fixt and sendeth light from farre To al that in the wide deepe wandring arre And chearefull Chaunticlere with his note shrill Had warned once that Phoebus fiery carre In hast was climbing vp the Easterne hill Full enuious that night so long his roome did fill When those accursed messengers of hell That feigning dreame and that faire-forged Spright Came to their wicked maister and gan tel Their bootelesse paines and ill succeeding night Who all in rage to see his skilfull might Deluded so gan threaten hellish paine And sad Proserpines wrath them to affright But when he saw his threatning was but vaine He cast about and searcht his baleful bokes againe Eftsoones he tooke that miscreated faire And that false other Spright on whom he spred A seeming body of the subtile aire Like a young Squire in loues and lusty hed His wanton daies that euer loosely led Without regard of armes and dreaded fight Those twoo he tooke and in a secrete bed Couered with darkenes and misdeeming night Them both together laid to ioy in vaine delight Forthwith he runnes with feigned faithfull hast Vnto his guest who after troublous sights And dreames gan now to take more sound repast Whom suddenly he wakes with fearful frights As one aghast with feends or damned sprights And to him cals Rise rise vnhappy Swaine That here wex old in 〈◊〉 whiles wicked wights Haue knit themselues in Venus shameful chaine Come see where your false Lady doth her honor staine All in amaze he suddenly vp start With sword in hand and with the old man went Who soone him brought into a secret part Where that false couple were full closely ment In wanton lust and leud enbracement Which when he saw he burnt with gealous fire The eie of reason was with rage yblent And would haue slaine them in his furious ire But hardly was restreined of that aged sire Retourning to his bed in torment great And bitter anguish of his guilty sight He could not rest but did his stout heart eat And wast his inward gall with deepe despight Yrkesome of life and too long lingring night At last faire Hesperus in highest skie Had spent his lāpe and brought forth dawning light Then vp he rose and clad him hastily The dwarfe him brought his steed so both away do fly Now when the rosy fingred Morning faire Weary of aged Tithones saffron bed Had spred her purple robe through deawy aire And the high hils Titan discouered The royall virgin shooke of drousy hed And rising forth out of her baser bowre Lookt for her knight who far away was fled And for her dwarfe that wont to wait each howre Then gan she wail and weepe to see that woeful stowre And after him she rode with so much speede As her slowe beast could make but all in vaine For him so far had borne his light-foot steede Pricked with wrath and fiery fierce disdaine That him to
beast with busie payne Then serue his Ladies loue waste in pleasures vayne The forlorne mayd did with 〈◊〉 longing burne And could not lacke her louers company But to the wood shè goes to serue her turne And seeke her spouse that from her still does fly And followes other game and venery A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to finde And kindling coles of lust in brutish eye The loyall linkes of wedlocke did vnbinde And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind So long in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be held Her 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 desyre Till that with timely 〈◊〉 her belly sweld And bore a boy vnto that saluage syre Then home he 〈◊〉 her for to retyre For ransome leauing him the late-borne childe Whom till to 〈◊〉 yeares he 〈◊〉 aspyre He nousled vp in life and manners wilde Emongst wild beastes and woods from lawes of men exilde For all he taught the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 cowardize and bastard feare His trembling hand he would him force to put Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make To tame and 〈◊〉 their backes not made to beare And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake That euerie beast for feare of him did fly and quake Thereby so fearelesse and so fell he grew That his owne 〈◊〉 and maister of his guise Did often tremble at his horrid vew And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise The angry beastes not rashly to despise Nor too much to prouoke for he would learne The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wife A lesson hard and make the 〈◊〉 sterne Leaue roaring when in rage he for reuenge did earne And for to make his powre approued more Wyld beastes in yron yokes he would compell The spotted Panther and the 〈◊〉 Bore The Pardale swift and the Tigre cruell The Antelope and Wolfe both swift and cruell And them constraine in equall teme to draw Such ioy he had their stubborne harts to quell And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw That his beheast they feared as a tyrans law His louing mother came vpon a day Vnto the woodes to see her little sonne And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way After his sportes and cruell pastime donne When after him a Lyonesse did runne That roaring all with rage did lowd requere Her children deare whom he away had wonne The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare And lull in rugged armes withouten childish feare The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight And turning backe gan fast to fly away Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright She hardly yet perswaded was to stay And then to him these womanish words gan say Ah Satyrane my dearling and my ioy For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play To dally thus with death is no fit toy Go find some other play-fellowes mine own sweet boy In these and like delightes of bloody game He trayned was till ryper yeares he raught And there abode whylst any beast of name Walkt in that forrest whom he had not taught To feare his force and then his courage haught Desyrd of forreine foemen to be knowne And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne But through al Faery lond his famous worth was blown Yet euermore it was his maner faire After long labours and aduentures spent Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire To see his syre and ofspring auncient And now he thether came for like intent Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found Sraunge Lady in so straunge habiliment Teaching the Satyres which her sat around Trew sacred lore which frō her sweet lips did redound He wondred at her wisedome heuenly rare Whose like in womens witt he neuer knew And when her cutteous deeds he did compare Gan her admire and her sad sorrowes rew Blaming of Fortune which such troubles threw And ioyd to make proofe of her cruelty On gentle Dame so hurtlesse and so trew Thenceforth he kept her goodly company And learnd her discipline of faith and verity But she all vowd vnto the Redcrosse knight His wandring perill closely did lament Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight But her deare heart with anguish did torment And all her witt in secret counsels spent How to escape At last in priuy wise To Satyrane she shewed her intent Who glad to gain such fauour gan deuise How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise So on a day when Satyres all were gone To doe their seruice to Syluanus old The gentle virgin left behinde alone He led away with corage stout and bold Too late it was to Satyres to be told Or euer hope recouer her againe In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold So fast he carried her with carefull paine That they the wods are past come now to the plaine The better part now of the lingring day They traueild had whenas they far espide A weary wight for wandring by the way And towards him they gan in hast to ride To weete of newes that did abroad betide Or tidings of her knight of the Redcrosse But he them spying gan to turne aside For feare as seemd or for some feigned losse More greedy they of newes fast towards him do crosse A silly man in simple weeds forworne And soild with dust of the long dried way His sandales were with to ilsome trauell torne And face all tand with scorching sunny ray As he had traueild many a sommers day Through boyling sands of Arabie and Ynde And in his hand a Iacobs staffe to stay His weary limbs vpon and eke behind His scrip did hang in which his needments he did bind The knight approching nigh of him inquerd Tidings of warre and of aduentures new But warres nor new aduentures none he herd Then Vna gan to aske if ought he knew Or heard abroad of that her champion trew That in his armour bare a croslet red Ay me Deare dame qd he well may I rew To tell the sad sight which mine eies haue red These eies did see that knight both liuing and eke ded That cruell word her tender hart so thrild That suddein cold did ronne through euery vaine And stony horrour all her sences fild With dying fitt that downe she fell for paine The knight her lightly reared vp againe And comforted with curteous kind reliefe Then wonne from death she bad him tellen plaine The further processe of her hidden griefe The lesser pangs can beare who hath endur'd the chief Then gan the Pilgrim thus I chaunst this day This fatall day that shall I euer rew To see two knights in trauell on my way A sory sight arraung'd in batteill new Both breathing vengeaunce both of wrathfull hew My feareful flesh did tremble at their strife To see their blades so greedily imbrew That dronke with blood yet thristed after life What more the Redcrosse knight was slain with Paynim
Least his long way his aged limbes should tire And if by lookes one may the mind aread He seemd to be a sage and sober syre And euer with slow pace the knight did lead Who taught his trampling steed with equall steps to tread Such whenas Archimago them did view He weened well to worke some vncouth wyle Eftsoones vntwisting his 〈◊〉 clew He gan to weaue a web of wicked guyle And with faire countenance and flattring style To them approching thus the knight bespake Fayre sonne of Mars that seeke with warlike spoyle And great atchieu'ments great your selfe to make Vouchsafe to stay your steed for humble misers sake He stayd his steed for humble misers sake And badd tell on the tenor of his playnt Who feigning then in euery limb to quake Through inward feare and seeming pale and faynt With piteous mone his percing speach gan paynt Deare Lady how shall I declare thy cace Whom late I left in languorous constraynt Would God thy selfe now present were in place To tell this ruefull tale thy sight could win thee grace Or rather would O would it so had chaunst That you most noble Sir had present beene When that lewd rybauld with vyle lust aduaunst Laid first his filthie hands on virgin cleene To spoyle her dainty corps so faire and sheene As on the earth great mother of vs all With liuing eye more fayre was neuer seene Of chastity and honour virginall Witnes ye heauens whom she in vaine to help did call How may it be sdyd then the knight halfe wroth That knight should knighthood euer so haue shent None but that saw qd he would weene for troth How shamefully that Mayd he did torment Her looser golden lockes he rudely rent And drew her on the ground and his sharpe sword Against her snowy brest he fiercely bent And threatned death with many a bloodie word Tongue hates to tell the rest that eye to see abhord Therewith amoued from his sober mood And liues he yet said he that wrought this act And doen the heauens afford him vitall food He liues quoth he and boasteth of the fact Ne yet hath any knight his courage crackt Where may that treach our then sayd he be found Or by what meanes may I his footing tract That shall I shew sayd he as sure as hound The strickē Deare doth chaleng by the bleeding wound He stayd not lenger talke but with fierce yre And zealous haste away is quickly gone To seeke that knight where him that crafty Squyre Supposd to be They do arriue anone Where sate a gentle Lady all alone With garments rent and heare discheueled Wringing her handes and making piteous mone Her swollen eyes were much disfigured And her faire face with teares was fowly blubbered The knight approching nigh thus to her said Fayre Lady through fowle sorrow ill bedight Great pitty is to see you thus dismayd And marre the blossom of your beauty bright For thy appease your griefe and heauy plight And tell the cause of your conceiued payne For if he liue that hath you doen despight He shall you doe dew recompence agayne Or els his wrong with greater puissance maintaine Which when she heard as in despightfull wise She wilfully her sorrow did augment And offred hope of comfort did despise Her golden lockes most cruelly she rent And scratcht her face with ghastly dreriment Ne would she speake nesee ne yet be seene But hid her visage and her head downe bent Either for grieuous shame or for great 〈◊〉 As if her hart with sorow had transfixed beene Till her that Squyre bespake Madame my life For Gods deare loue be not so wilfull bent But doe vouchsafe now to receiue reliefe The which good fortune doth to you present For what bootes it to weepe and to wayment When ill is chaunst but doth the ill increase And the weake minde with double woe torment When she her Squyre heard speake she gan 〈◊〉 Her voluntarie paine and feele some secret ease 〈◊〉 she said Ah gentle trustie Squyre What comfort can I wofull wretch conceaue Or why should euer I henceforth desyre To see faire heauens face and life not leaue Sith that false Traytour did my honour reaue False traytour certes saide the Faerie knight I read the man that euer would deceaue A gentle Lady or her wrong through might Death were too little paine for such a fowle despight But now fayre Lady comfort to you make And read who hath ye wrought this shamfull plight That short reuenge the man may ouertake Where so he be and soone vpon him light Certes saide she I wote not how he hight But vnder him a gray steede he did wield Whose sides with dapled circles weren dight Vpright he rode and in his siluer shield He bore a bloodie Crosse that quartred all the field Now by my head saide Guyon much I muse How that same knight should do so fowle amis Or euer gentle Damzell so abuse For may I boldly say he surely is A right good knight and trew of word ywis I present was and can it witnesse well When armes he swore and streight did enterpris Th' aduenture of the Errant damozell In which he hath great glory wonne as I heare tell Nathlesse he shortly shall againe be tryde And fairely quit him of th' imputed blame Els be ye sure he dearely shall abyde Or make you good amendment for the same All wrongs haue mendes but no amendes of shame Now therefore Lady rise out of your paine And see the saluing of your blotting name Full loth she seemd thereto but yet did faine For she was inly glad her purpose so to gaine Her purpose was not such as she did faine Ne yet her person such as it was seene But vnder simple shew and semblant plaine Lurkt false Duessa secretly vnseene As a chaste Virgin that had wronged beene So had false Archimago her disguysd To cloke her guile with sorrow and sad teene And eke himselfe had craftily deuisd To be her Squire and do her 〈◊〉 well aguisd Her late forlorne and naked he had found Where she did wander in waste wildernesse Lurking in rockes and caues far vnder ground And with greene mosse cou'ring her nakednesse To hide her shame and loathly filthinesse Sith her Prince Arthur of proud ornaments And borrowd beauty spoyld Her nathelesse Th' enchaunter finding fit for his intents Did thus reuest and deckt with dew habiliments For all he did was to deceiue good knights And draw them from pursuit of praise and fame To slug in slouth and sensuall delights And end their daies with irrenowmed shame And now exceeding griefe him ouercame To see the Redcrosse thus aduaunced hye Therefore this craftie engine he did frame Against his praise to stirre vp enmitye Of such as vertues like mote vnto him allye So now he Guyon guydes an vncouth way Through woods mountaines till they came at last Into a pleasant dale that 〈◊〉 lay Betwixt two hils whose high heads ouerplast The valley did
feare She there attached far from all succoure The one she 〈◊〉 vpon the present floure But the sad virgin innocent of all Adowne the rolling riuer she did poure Which of her name now Seuerne men do call Such was the end that to disloyall loue did fall Then for her sonne which she to Locrin bore Madan was young vnmeet the rule to sway In her owne hand the crowne she kept in store Till ryper yeares he raught and stronger stay During which time her powre she did display Through all this realme the glory of her sex And first taught men a woman to obay But when her sonne to mans estate did wex She it surrendred ne her selfe would lenger vex Tho Madan raignd vnworthie of his race For with all shame that sacred throne he fild Next Memprise as vnworthy of that place In which being consorted with Manild For thirst of single kingdom him he kild But Ebranck salued both their infamies With noble deedes and warreyd on Brunchild In 〈◊〉 where yet of his victories Braue moniments remaine which yet that land enuies An happy man in his first dayes he was And happy father of faire progeny For all so many weekes as the yeare has So many children he did multiply Of which were twentie sonnes which did apply Their mindes to prayse and cheualrous desyre Those germans did subdew all Germany Of whom it hight but in the end their Syre With foule repulse from Fraunce was forced to retyre Which blott his sonne succeeding in his seat The second Brute the second both in name And eke in semblaunce of his puissaunce great Right well recur'd and did away that blame With recompence of euerlasting fame He with his victour sword first opened The bowels of wide Fraunce a forlorne Dame And taught her first how to be conquered Since which with sondrie spoiles she hath bene ransacked Let Scaldis tell and let tell Hania And let the marsh of Estham bruges tell What colour were their waters that same day And all the moore twixt Eluersham and Dell With blood of Henalois which therein fell How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell That not Seuith guiridh he mote seeme to bee But rather y Seuith gogh signe of sad crueltee His sonne king Leill by fathers labour long Enioyd an heritage of lasting peace And built Cairleill and built Cairleon strong Next Huddibras his realme did not encrease But taught the land from wearie wars to cease Whose footsteps Bladud following in artes Exceld at Athens all the learned preace From whēce he brought them to these saluage parts And with sweet science mollifide their stubborne harts Ensample of his wondrous faculty Behold the boyling Bathes at Cairbadon Which seeth with secret fire eternally And in their entrailles full of quick Brimston Nourish the flames which they are warmd vpon That to her people wealth they forth do well And health to euery forreyne nation Yet he at last contending to excell The reach of men through flight into fond mischieffell Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raynd But had no issue male him to succeed But three faire daughters which were well vptraind In all that seemed fitt for kingly seed Mongst whom his realme he equally decreed To haue diuided Tho when feeble age Nigh to his vtmost date he saw proceed He cald his daughters and with speeches sage 〈◊〉 which of them most did loue her parentage The eldest Gonorill gan to protest That she much more then her owne life him lou'd And Regan greater loue to him profest Then all the world when euer it were proou'd But Cordeill said she lou'd him as behoou'd Whose simple answere wanting colours fayre To paint it forth him to displeasaunce moou'd That in his crown he counted her no hayre But twixt the other twain his kingdom whole did shayre So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scottes And thother to the king of Cambria And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lottes But without dowre the wise Cordelia Was sent to Aggannip of Celtica Their aged Syre thus eased of his crowne A priuate life ledd in Albania With Gonorill long had in great renowne That nought him grieu'd to beene from rule deposed downe But true it is that when the oyle is spent The light goes out and weeke is throwne away So when he had resignd his regiment His daughter gan despise his drouping day And wearie wax of his continuall stay Tho to his daughter Regan he repayrd Who him at first well vsed euery way But when of his departure she despayrd Her bountie she abated and his cheare empayrd The wretched man gan then auise to late That loue is not where most it is profest Too truely tryde in his extremest state At last resolu'd likewise to proue the 〈◊〉 He to Cordelia him selfe addrest Who with entyre affection him receau'd As for her Syre and king her seemed best And after all au army strong she leau'd To war on those which him had of his realme bereau'd So to his crowne she him restord againe In which he dyde made ripe for death by eld And after wild it should to her remaine Who peaceably the same long time did weld And all mens harts in dew obedience held Till that her sisters children woxen strong Through proud ambition against her rebeld And ouercommen kept in prison long Till weary of that wretched life her selfe she hong Then gan the bloody brethren both to raine But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuy His brother Morgan prickt with proud disdaine To haue a pere in part of souerainty And kindling coles of cruell enmity Raisd warre and him in batteill ouerthrew Whence as he to those woody hilles did fly Which hight of him Glamorgan there him slew Then did he raigne alone when he none equall knew His sonne Riuall ' his dead rowme did supply In whose sad time blood did from heauen rayne Next great Gurgustus then faire Coecily In constant peace their kingdomes did contayne After whom Lago and Kinmarke did rayne And Gorbogud till far in yeares he grew Then his Ambitious sonnes vnto them twayne Arraught the rule and from their father drew Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw But O the greedy thirst of royall crowne That knowes no kinred nor regardes no right Stird Porrex vp to put his brother downe Who vnto him assembling forreigne might Made warre on him and fell him selfe in fight Whose death t' auenge his mother 〈◊〉 Most mercilesse of women Wyden hight Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse Here ended Brutus sacred progeny Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne With high renowme and great felicity The noble braunch from th'antique stocke was torne Through discord and the roiall throne forlorne Thenceforth this Realme was into factions rent Whilest each of Brutus boasted to be borne That in the end was left no moniment Of Brutus nor
astownd Vpstarted lightly from his looser make And his vnready weapons gan in hand to take But ere he could his armour on him dight Or gett his shield his monstrous enimy With sturdie steps came stalking in his sight An hideous Geaunt horrible and hye That with his tallnesse seemd to threat the skye The ground eke groned vnder him for dreed His liuing like saw neuer liuing eye Ne durst behold his stature did exceed The hight of three the tallest sonnes of mortall seed The greatest Earth his vncouth mother was And blustring AEolus his boasted syre Who with his breath which through the world doth pas Her hollow womb did secretly inspyre And fild her hidden caues with stormie yre That she conceiu'd and trebling the dew time In which the wombes of wemen doe expyre Brought forth this monstrous masse of earthly slyme Puft vp with emptie wynd and fild with sinfull cryme So growen great through arrogant delight Of th' high descent whereof he was yborne And through presumption of his matchlesse might All other powres and knighthood he did scorne Such now he marcheth to this man forlorne And left to losse his stalking steps are stayde Vpon a snaggy Oke which he had torne Out of his mothers bowelles and it made His mortall mace wherewith his foemen he dismayde That when the knight he spyde he gan aduaunce With huge force and insupportable mayne And towardes him with dreadfull fury praunce Who haplesse and eke hopelesse all in vaine Did to him pace sad battaile to darrayne Disarmd disgraste and inwardly dismayde And eke so faint in euery ioynt and vayne Through that fraile foūtain which him feeble made That scarsely could he weeld his bootlesse single blade The Geaunt strooke so maynly mercilesse That could haue ouerthrowne a stony towre And were not heuenly grace that him did blesse He had beene pouldred all as thin as flowre But he was wary of that deadly stowre And lightly lept from vnderneath the blow Yetso exceeding was the villeins powre That with the winde it did him ouerthrow And all his sences stoond that still he lay full low As when that diuelish yron Engin wrought In deepest Hell and framd by Furies skill With 〈◊〉 Nitre and quick Sulphur fraught And ramd with bollet rownd ordaind to kill Conceiueth fyre the heauens it doth fill With thundring noyse and all the ayre doth choke That none can breath nor see nor heare at will Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smok That th' onely breath him daunts who hath escapt the stroke So daunted when the Geaunt saw the knight His heauie hand he heaued vpon hye And him to dust thought to haue battred quight Vntill Duessa loud to him gan crye O great Orgoglio greatest vnder skye O hold thy mortall hand for Ladies sake Hold for my sake and doe him not to dye But vanquisht 〈◊〉 eternall bondflaue make And me thy worthy meed vnto thy Leman take He hearkned and did stay from further harmes To gayneso goodly guerdon as she spake So willingly she came into his armes Who her as willingly to grace did take And was possessed of his newfound make Then vp he tooke the slombred sencelesse corse And 〈◊〉 he could out of his swowne awake Him to his castle brought with hastie forse And in a Dongeon deep him threw without remorse From that day forth Duessa was his deare And highly honourd in his haughtie eye He gaue her gold and purple pall to weare And triple crowne set on her head full hye And her endowd with royall maiestye Then for to make her 〈◊〉 more of men And peoples hartes with awfull terror tye A monstrous beast ybredd in filthy fen He chose which he had kept long time in darksom den Such one it was as that renowmed Snake Which great Alcides in Stremona slew Long fostred in the filth of Lerna lake Whose many heades out budding euer new Did breed him endlesse labor to subdew But this same Monster much more vgly was For seuen great heads out of his body grew An yron brest and back of scaly bras And all embrewd in blood his eyes did shine as glas His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length That to the hous of heuenly gods it raught And with extorted powre and borrow'd strength The euerburning lamps from thence it braught And prowdly threw to ground as things of naught And vnderneath his filthy feer did tread The sacred thinges and holy heastes foretaught Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuen fold head He sett the false Duessa for more aw and dread The wofull Dwarfe which saw his maisters fall Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed And valiant knight become a cay 〈◊〉 thrall When all was past tooke vp his forlorne weed His mightie Armour missing most at need His siluer shield now idle maisterlesse His poynant speare that many made to bleed The ruefull moniments of heauinesse And with them all departes to tell his great distresse He had not trauaild long when on 〈◊〉 way He wofull Lady wofull Vna met Fast flying from that Paynims greedy pray Whilest Satyrane him from pursuit did let Who when her eyes she on the Dwarf had set And saw the signes that deadly tydinges spake She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret And liuely breath her sad brest did forsake Yet might her pittcous hart be seene to pant and quake The messenger of so vnhappie newes Would faine haue dyde dead was his hart within Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes At last recouering hart he does begin To rubb her temples and to chaufe her chin And euerie tender part does tosse and turne So hardly he the flitted life does win Vnto her natiue prison to retourne Then gins her grieued ghost thus to lament mourne Ye dreaty instruments of dolefull sight That doe this deadly spectacle behold Why do ye lenger feed on loathed light Or liking find to gaze on earthly mould Sith cruell fates the carefull threds vnfould The which my life and loue together tyde Now let the stony dart of sencelesse cold Perce to my hart and pas through euerie side And let eternall night so sad fro me hyde O light some day the lampe of highest Ioue First made by him mens wandring wayes to guyde When darknesse he in deepest 〈◊〉 droue Henceforth 〈◊〉 hated face for euer hyde And shut vp heauens windowes shyning wyde For earthly sight can nought but sorow breed And late 〈◊〉 which shall long abyde Mine eyes no more on 〈◊〉 shall feed But seeled vp with death shall haue their deadly meed Then downe againe she fell vnto the ground But he her quickly reared vp againe Thrise did she sinke 〈◊〉 in deadly swownd And thrise he her 〈◊〉 with busie paine At last when life recouer'd had the raine And ouer-wrestled his strong enimy With foltring tong and trembling euerie vaine Tell on quoth she the wofull Tragedy The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eye Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight And
thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost dart Thy sad tong cannot tell more heauy plight Then that I seele and harbour in mine hart Who hath endur'd the whole can beare ech part If death it be it is not the first wound That launched hath my brest with bleeding smart Begin and end the bitter balefull stound Iflesse then that I feare more fauour I haue found Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare The subtile traines of Archimago old The wanton loues of false Fidessa fayre Bought with the blood of vanquisht Paynim bold The wretched payre transformd to 〈◊〉 mould The house of Pryde and 〈◊〉 round about The combat which he with Sansioy did hould The lucklesse conflict with the Gyaunt 〈◊〉 Wherein captiu'd of life or 〈◊〉 he stood in doubt She heard with patience all vnto the end And stroue to maister sorrowfull assay Which greater grew the more she did contend And almost rent her tender hart in tway And loue fresh coles vnto her fire did Iay For greater loue the greater is the losse Was neuer Lady loued dearer day Then she did loue the knight of the Redorosse For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse At last when feruent sorrow 〈◊〉 was She vp arose resoluing him to find Aliue or dead and forward forth 〈◊〉 pas All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd And euer more in constant carefull mind She fedd her wound with fresh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Long tost with stormes and bet with 〈◊〉 wind High ouer hills and lowe adowne the dale She wandred many a wood and measurd many a vale At last she 〈◊〉 by good 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 A goodly knight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the way Together with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His glitterand armour shined far away Like glauncing light of 〈◊〉 brightest 〈◊〉 From top to toe no place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That deadly 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athwart his brest a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That shind like twinkling stars with stones most pretious And in the midst thereof one pretious stone Of wondrous worth and 〈◊〉 of wondrous mights Shapt like a Ladies head exceeding shone Like Hesperus 〈◊〉 the lesser lights And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong In yuory sheath 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 slights Whose hilts were burnisht gold and handle strong Of mother perle and buckled with a golden tong His haughtie Helmet horrid all with gold Both glorious 〈◊〉 and great terrour bredd For all the crest a Dragon did enfold With greedie pawes and ouer all did spredd His golden winges his dreadfull hideous hedd Close couched on the beuer seemd to throw From flaming mouth bright sparckles fiery redd That suddeine 〈◊〉 to faint hartes did show And scaly 〈◊〉 was stretcht adowne his back full low Vpon the top of all his loftie crest A 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuersly With 〈◊〉 pearle and gold full richly drest Did shake and seemd to daunce for iollity Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene Selinis all alone With blossoms braue bedecked 〈◊〉 Her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do 〈◊〉 euery one At euerie little breath that vnder heauen is blowne His warlike shield all closely couer'd was Ne might of 〈◊〉 all eye be euer seene Not made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of enduring bras Such earth 〈◊〉 soone consumed beene But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was one massy entire mould Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene That point of speare it neuer percen could Ne dint of direfull sword diuide the substance would The same to wight he neuer wont disclose But when as monsters huge he would dismay Or daunt vnequall armies of his foes Or when the flying heauens he would affray For so exceeding shone his glistring ray That Phoebus golden face it did attaint As when a cloud his beames doth ouer-lay And siluer Cynthia wexed pale and faynt As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint No magicke arts hereof had any might Nor bloody wordes of bold Enchaunters call But all that was not such as seemd in sight Before that shield did fade and suddeine fall And when him list the raskall routes appall Men into stones therewith he could transmew And stones to dust and dust to nought at all And when him list the prouder lookes subdew He would them gazing blind or turne to other hew Ne let it seene that credence this exceedes For he that made the same was knowne right well To haue done much more admirable deedes It Merlin was which whylome did excell All liuing wightes in might of magicke spell Both shield and sword and armour all he wrought For this young Prince when first to armes he fell But when he dyde the Faery Queene it brought To Faerie lond where yet it may be seene if sought A gentle youth his dearely loued Squire His speare of heben wood behind him bare Whose harmeful head thrise heated in the fire Had riuen many a brest with pikehead square A goodly person and could menage faire His stubborne steed with curbed canon bitt Who vnder him did amble as the aire And chaust that any on his backe should sitt The yron rowels into frothy fome he bi tt When as this knight nigh to the Lady drew With louely court he gan her entertaine But when he heard her aunswers loth he knew Some secret sorrow did her heart distraine Which to allay and calme her storming paine Faire feeling words he wisely gan display And for her humor fitting purpose faine To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray Wherewith enmoud these bleeding words she gan to say What worlds delight or ioy of liuing speach Can hart so plungd in sea of sorrowes deep And heaped with so huge misfortunes reach The carefull cold beginneth for to creep And in my heart his yron arrow steep Soone as I thinke vpon my bitter bale Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keep Then rip vp griefe where it may not auaile My last left comfort is my woes to weepe and waile Ah Lady deare qd then the gentle knight Well may I ween your grief is wondrous great For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat But woefull Lady let me you intrete For to vnfold the anguish of your hart Mishaps are maistred by aduice discrete And counsell mitigates the greatest smart Found neuer help who neuer would his hurts impart O but qd she great griefe will not be tould And can more easily be thought then said Right so qd he but he that neuer would Could neuer will to might giues greatest aid But griefe qd she does greater grow displaid If then it find not helpe and breeds despaire Despaire breeds not qd he where faith is 〈◊〉 No faith so fast qd she but flesh does paire Flesh may empaire qd he but reason can repaire His goodly reason and well guided speach So deepe did settle in her gracious thought That her perswaded to disclose the breach Which loue and fortune in