she rode with so much speede As her slow beast could make but all in vaine For him so far had borne his light-foot steede Pricked with wrath and fiery fierce disdaine That him to follow was but fruitlesse paine Yet she her weary limbes would neuer rest But euery hill and dale each wood and plaine Did search sore grieued in her gentle brest He so vngently left her whom she louest 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 mightie science he could take As many formes and shapes in seeming wise As euer Proteus to himselfe could make Sometime a fowle sometime a fish in lake Now like a foxe now like a dragon fell That of himselfe he oft for feare would quake And oft would flie away O who can tell The hidden power of herbes and might of Magicke spell But now seemde best 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 bloudy crosse and on his crauen crest A bounch of haires discolourd diuersly Full iolly knight he seemde and well addrest And when he sate vpon his courser free Saint George himself ye would haue deemed him to be But he the knight 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 arm'd to point In whose great shield was writ with letters gay Sans foy full large of limbe and euery ioint He was and cared not for God or man a point He had a faire companion of his way A goodly Lady clad in scarlot red Purfled with gold and pearle of rich assay And like a Persian mitre on her hed She wore with crownes and owches garnished The which her lauish louers to her gaue Her wanton palfrey all was ouerspred With tinsell trappings wouen like a waue Whose bridle rung with golden bels and bosses braue With faire disport and courting dalliaunce She intertainde her louer all the way But when she saw the knight his speare aduaunce She soone left off her mirth and wanton play And bad her knight addresse him to the fray His foe was nigh at hand He prickt with pride And hope to winne his Ladies heart that day Forth spurred fast adowne his coursers side The red bloud trickling staind the way as he did ride The knight of the 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 their forces hideous Their steeds do stagger and amazed stand And eke themselues too rudely rigorous Astonied with the stroke of their owne hand Do backe rebut and each to other yeeldeth land As when two rams stird with ambitious pride Fight for the rule of the rich fleeced flocke Their horned fronts so fierce on either side Do meete that with the terrour of the shocke Astonied both stand sencelesse as ablocke 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 streames of purple bloud new dies the verdāt fields Curse on that Crosse quoth then the Sarazin That keepes thy body from the bitter fit Dead long ygoe I wote thou haddest bin Had not that charme from thee forwarned it But yet I warne thee now assured sitt And hide thy head Therewith vpon his crest With rigour so outrageous he smitt That a large share it hewd out of the rest And glauncing downe his shield from blame him fairely blest Who thereat wondrous wroth the sleeping spark Of natiue vertue gan eftsoones reuiue And at his haughtie helmet making mark So hugely stroke that it the steele did riue And cleft his head He tumbling downe aliue With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis Greeting his graue his grudging ghost did striue With the fraile flesh at last it flitted is Whither the soules do fly of men that liue amis The Lady when she saw 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 She turning backe with ruefull countenaunce Cride Mercy mercy Sir vouchsafe to show On silly Dame subiect to hard mischaunce And to your mighty will Her humblesse low In so ritch weedes and seeming glorious show Did much emmoue his stout heroïcke heart And said Deare dame your suddein ouerthrow Much rueth me but now put feare apart And tell both who ye be and who that tooke your part Melting in teares then gan she thus lament The wretched woman whom vnhappy howre Hath now made thrall to your commandement Before that angry heauens lift to lowre And fortune false betraide me to your powre Was O what now auaileth that I was Borne the sole daughter of an Emperour He that the wide West vnder his rule has And high hath set his throne where Tiberis doth pas He in the first flowre of 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 honours staire Into the hands of his 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 me vnhappy maid O how great sorrow my sad soule assaid Then forth I went his woefull corse to find And many yeares throughout the world I straid A virgin widow whose deepe wounded mind With loue long time did languish as the striken hind At last it chaunced this proud Sarazin To meete me wandring who perforce me led With him away but yet
false shewes abuse his fantasy In sort as he him schooled priuily And that new creature borne without her dew Full of the makers guile with vsage fly He taught to imitate that Lady trew Whose semblance she did carrie vnder feigned hew Thus well instructed to their worke they hast And comming where the knight in slomber lay The one vpon his hardy head him plast And made him dreame of loues and lustfull play That nigh his manly hart did melt away Bathed in wanton blis and wicked ioy Then seemed him his Lady by him lay And to him playnd how that false winged boy Her chast hart had subdewd to learne Dame pleasures toy And she her selfe of beautie soueraigne Queene Faire Venus seemde vnto his bed to bring Her whom he waking euermore did weene To be the chastest flowre that ay did spring On earthly braunch the daughter of a king Now a loose Leman to vile seruice bound And eke the Graces seemed all to sing Hymen ιο̃ Hymen dauncing all around Whilst freshest Flora her Yuie girlond crownd In this great passion of vnwonted lust Or wonted feare of doing ought amis He started vp as seeming to mistrust Some secret ill or hidden foe of his Lo there before his face his Lady is Vnder blake stole hyding her bayted hooke And as halfe blushing offred him to kis With gentle blandishment and louely looke Most like that virgin true which for her knight him took All cleane dismayd to see so vncouth sight And halfe enraged at her shamelesse guise He thought haue slaine her in his fierce despight But hasty heat tempring with sufferance wise He stayde his hand and gan himselfe aduise To proue his sense and tempt her faigned truth Wringing her hands in wemens pitteous wise Tho can she weepe to stirre vp gentle ruth Both for her noble bloud and for her tender youth And said Ah Sir my 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 kingdome There she stopt with teares Her swollen hart her speach seemd to bereaue And then againe begun My weaker yeares Captiu'd to fortune and frayle worldly feares Fly to your faith for succour and sure ayde Let me not dye in languor and long teares Why Dame quoth he what hath ye thus dismayd What frayes ye that were wont to comfort me affrayd Loue of your selfe she said and deare constraint Le ts me not sleepe but wast the wearie night In secret anguish and vnpittied plaint Whiles you in carelesse sleepe are drowned quight Her doubtfull words made that redoubted knight Suspect her truth yet since no' vntruth he knew Her fawning loue with foule disdainefull spight He would not shend but said Deare dame I rew That for my sake vnknowne such griefe vnto you grew Assure your selfe it fell not all to ground For all so deare as life is to my hart I deeme your loue and hold me to you bound Ne let vaine feares procure your needlesse smart Where cause is none but to your rest depart Not all content yet seemd she to appease Her mournefull plaintes beguiled of her art And fed with words that could not chuse but please So slyding softly forth she turnd as to her ease Long after lay he musing 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 wearinesse of former fight Hauing yrockt a sleepe his irkesome spright That troublous dreame gan freshly tosse his braine With bowres and beds and Ladies deare delight But when he saw his labour all was vaine With that misformed spright he backe returnd againe Cant. II. The guilefull great Enchaunter parts The Redcrosse Knight from Truth Into whose stead faire falshood steps And workes him wofull ruth BY this the Northerne wagoner had set His seuenfold teme behind the stedfast starre That was in Ocean waues yet neuer wet But firme is fixt and sendeth light from farre To all that in the wide deepe wandring arre And chearefull Chaunticlere with his note shrill Had warned once that Phoebus fiery carre In hast was climbing vp the Easterne hill Full enuious that night so long his roome did fill When those accursed messengers of hell That feigning dreame and that faire-forged Spright Came to their wicked maister and gan tell Their bootelesse paines and ill succeeding night Who all in rage to see his skilfull might Deluded so gan threaten hellish paine And sad Proserpines wrath them to affright But when he saw his threatning was but vaine He cast about and searcht his balefull bookes againe Eftsoones he tooke 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 dayes that euer loosely led Without regard of armes and dreaded fight Those two he tooke and in a secret bed Couered with darknesse and misdeeming night Them both together laid to ioy in vaine delight Forthwith he runnes 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 fearefull frights As one aghast with feends or damned sprights And to him cals Rise rise vnhappy Swaine That here wex old in sleepe whiles wicked wights Haue knit themselues in Venus shamefull chaine Come see where your false Lady doth her honour staine All in amaze he suddenly 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 lewd embracement Which when he saw he burnt with gealous fire The eye of reason was with rage yblent And would haue slaine them in his furious ire But hardly was restreined of that aged sire Returning to his bed in torment great And bitter anguish of his guiltie sight He could not rest but did his stout heart eat And wast his inward gall with deepe despight Yrkesome of life and too long lingring night At last faire Hesperus in highest skie Had spent his lampe 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 off drowsy-hed And rising forth out of her baser bowre Lookt for her knight who far away was fled And for her Dwarfe that wont to wait each houre Then gan she waile weepe to see that woefull stowre And after him
did delight A Satyres sonne yborne in forrest wyld By straunge aduenture as it did betyde And there begotten of a Lady myld Faire Thyamis the daughter of Labryde That was in sacred bands of wedlocke tyde To Therion a loose vnruly swayne Who had more ioy to raunge the forrest wyde And chase the saluage beast with busie payne Then serue his Ladies loue and wast in pleasures vayne The forlorne mayd did with loues longing burne And could not lacke her louers company But to the wood she goes to serue her turne And seeke her spouse that from her still does fly And followes other game and venery A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to find And kindling coles of lustin brutish eye The loyall links of wedlocke did vnbind And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind So long in secret cabin there he held Her captiue to his sensuall desire Till that with timely fruit her belly sweld And bore a boy vnto that saluage fire Then home he suffred her for to retire For ransome leauing him the late borne childe Whom till to ryper yeares he gan aspire He noursled vp in life and manners wilde Emongst wild beasts and woods from lawes of men exilde For all he taught the tender ymp was but To banish cowardize and bastard feare His trembling hand he would him force to put Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make To tame and ryde their backes not made to beare And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake That euery beast for feare of him did fly and quake Thereby so fearelesse and so fell he grew That his owne sire and maister of his guise Did often tremble at his horrid vew And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise The angry beasts not rashly to despise Nor too much to prouoke for he would learne The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wise A lesson hard and make the Libbard sterne Leaue roaring when in rage he for reuenge did earne And for to make his powre approued more Wyld beasts in yron yokes he would compell The spotted Panther and the tusked Bore The Pardale swift and the Tigre cruell The Antelope and Wolfe both fierce and fell And them constraine in equall teme to draw Such ioy he had their stubborne harts to quell And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw That his beheast they feared as tyrans law His louing mother came vpon a day Vnto the woods to see her little sonne And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way After his sportes and cruell pastime donne When after him a Lyonesse did runne That roaring all with rage did lowd requere Her children deare whom he away had wonne The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare And lull in rugged armes withouten childish feare The fearefull Dame all 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 delights of bloudy game He trayned was till ryper yeares he raught And there abode whilst any beast of name Walkt in that forest whom he had not taught To feare his force and then his courage haught Desird of forreine foemen to be knowne And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne But through all Faery lond his famous worth was blown Yet euermore it was his manner faire After long labours and aduentures spent Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire To see his fire and ofspring auncient And now he thither came for like intent Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found Straunge Lady in so straunge habiliment Teaching the Satyres which her sat around Trew sacred lore which from her sweet lips did redound He wondred at her wisedome heauenly rare Whose like in womens wit he neuer knew And when her curteous deeds he did compare Gan her admire and her sad sorrowes rew Blaming of Fortune which such troubles threw And ioyd to make proofe of her crueltie On gentle Dame so hurtlesse and so trew Thenceforth he kept her goodly company And learnd her discipline of faith and veritie But she all vowd vnto the 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 wit in secret counsels spent How to escape At last in priuie wise To Satyrane she shewed her intent Who glad to gain such fauour gan deuise How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise So on a day when Satyres all were gone To do their seruice to Syluanus old The gentle virgin left behind alone He led away with courage stout and bold Too late it was to Satyres to be told Or euer hope recouer her againe In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold So fast he carried her with carefull paine That they the woods are past come now to the plaine The better part now of the lingring day They traueild had when as they farre espide A wearie wight forwandring by the way And towards him they gan in hast to ride To weet of newes that did abroad betide Or tydings of her knight of the Redcrosse But he them spying gan to turne aside For feare as seemd or for some feigned losse More greedy they of newes fast towards him do crosse A silly man in simple weedes forworne And soild with dust of the long dried way His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne And face all tand with scorching sunny ray As he had traueild many a sommers day Through boyling sands of Arabie and Ynde And in his hand a Iacobs staffe to stay His wearie limbes vpon and eke behind His scrip did hang in which his needments he did bind The knight approching nigh of him inquerd Tydings of warre and of aduentures new But warres nor new aduentures none he herd Then Vna gan to aske if ought he knew Or heard abroad of that her champion trew That in his armour bare a croslet red Aye me Deare dame quoth he well may I rew To tell the sad sight which mine eies haue red These eyes did see that knight both liuing and eke ded That cruell word her tender hart so thrild That suddein cold did runne through euery vaine And stony horrour all her sences fild With dying fit that downe she fell for paine The knight her lightly reared vp againe And comforted with curteous kind reliefe Then wonne from death she bad him tellen plaine The further processe of her hidden griefe The lesser pangs can beare who hath endur'd the chiefe Then gan the Pilgrim thus I chaunst this day This fatall day that shall I euer rew
did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd And thrise he her reviu'd with busie paine At last when life recouer'd had the raine And ouer-wrestled his strong enemie With foltring tong and trembling euery vaine Tell on quoth she the wofull Tragedie The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eie Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight And thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost dart Thy sad tongue cannot tell more heauy plight Then that I feele and harbour in mine hart Who hath endur'd the whole can beare each part If death it be it is not the first wound That launched hath my brest with bleeding smart Begin and end the bitter balefull stound If lesse then that I feare more fauour I haue found Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare The subtill traines of Archimago old The wanton loues of false Fidessa faire Bought with the bloud of vanquisht Paynim bold The wretched payre transform'd to treen mould The house of Pride and perils round about The combat which he with Sansioy did hould The lucklesse conflict with the Gyant stout Wherein captiu'd of life or death he stood in doubt She heard with patience 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 lay For greater loue the greater is the losse Was neuer Ladie loued dearer day Then she did loue the knight of the Redcrosse For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse At last when feruent sorrow slaked was She vp arose resoluing him to find A liue or dead and forward forth doth pas All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd And euermore in constant care full mind She fed her wound with fresh renewed bale Long tost with stormes and bet with bitter wind High ouer hils and low adowne the dale She wandred many a wood and measurd many a vale At last she chaunced by good hap to meet A goodly knight faire marching by the way Together with his Squire arayed meet His glitterand armour shined farre away Like glauncing light of Phoebus brightest ray From top to toe no place appeared bare That deadly dint of steele endanger may Athwart his brest a bauldrick braue he ware That shynd like twinkling stars with stons most pretious rare And in the midst thereof one pretious stone Of wondrous worth and eke of wondrous mights Shapt like a Ladies head exceeding shone Like Hesperus emongst the lesser lights And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong In yuory sheath ycaru'd with curious slights Whose hilts were burnisht gold and handle strong Of mother pearle and buckled with a golden tong His haughtie helmet horrid all with gold Both glorious brightnesse and great terrour bred For all the crest a Dragon did enfold With greedie pawes and ouer all did spred His golden wings his dreadfull hideous hed Close couched on the beuer seem'd to throw From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red That suddeine horror to faint harts did show And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low Vpon the top of all his loftie crest A bunch of haires discolourd diuersly With sprincled pearle and gold full richly drest Did shake and seem'd to daunce for iollity Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene Selinis all alone With blossomes braue bedecked daintily Whos 's tender locks do tremble euery one At euery little breath that vnder heauen is blowne His warlike shield all closely couer'd was Ne might of mortall eye be euer seene Not made of steele nor of enduring bras Such earthlymettals soone consumed bene But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was one massie entire mould Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene That point of speare it neuer percen could Ne dint of direfull sword diuide the substance would The same to wight he 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 faint As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint No magicke arts hereof had any might Nor bloudie wordes of bold Enchaunters call But all that was not such as seemd in sight Before that shield did fade and suddeine fall And when him list the raskall routes appall Men into stones therewith he could transmew And stones to dust and dust to nought at all And when him list the prouder lookes subdew He would them gazing blind or turne to other hew Ne let it seeme that 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 Faerie 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 harmefull head thrice heated in the fire Had riuen many a brest with pikehead square A goodly person and could menage faire His stubborne steed with curbed canon bit Who vnder him did trample as the aire And chauft that any on his backe should sit The yron rowels into frothy some he bit When as this knight nigh to the Ladie drew With louely court he gan her entertaine But when he heard her answeres loth he knew Some secret sorrow did her heart distraine Which to allay and calme her storming paine Faire feeling words he wisely gan display And for her humour fitting purpose faine To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray Wherewith emmou'd these bleeding words she gan to say What worlds delight or ioy of lining speach Can heart so plung'd in sea of sorrowes deepe And heaped with so huge misfortunes reach The carefull cold beginneth for to creepe And in my heart his yron arrow steepe Soone as I thinke vpon my bitter bale Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keepe Then rip vp griefe where it may not auaile My last left comfort is my woes to weepe and waile Ah Ladie deare quoth then the gentle knight Well may I weene your griefe is wondrous great For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat But wofull Ladie let me you intrete For to vnfold the anguish of your hart Mishaps are maistred by aduice discrete And counsell mittigates the greatest smart Found neuer helpe who neuer would his hurts impart O but quoth she great griefe will not be tould And can more easily be thought then said Right so quoth he but he that neuer would Could neuer will to might giues greatest
death with many a bloudie word Toung 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 treachour then said he be found Or by what meanes may I his footing tract That shall I shew said he as sure as hound The strickē Deare doth chalenge by the bleeding wound He staid not lenger talke but with fierce ire And zealous hast away is quickly gone To seeke that knight where him that craftie Squire Supposd to be They do arriue anone Where sate a gentle Lady all alone With garments rent and haire discheueled Wringing her hands 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 Faire Ladie through foule sorrow ill bedight Great pittie is to see you thus dismaid And marre the blossome of your beautie bright For thy appease your griefe and heauie plight And tell the cause of your conceiued paine For if he liue that hath you doen despight He shall you doe due recompence againe Or else 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 ne see ne yet be seene But hid her visage and her head downe bent Either for grieuous shame or for great teene As if her hart with sorrow had transfixed beene Till her that Squire bespake Madame my liefe 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 mind with double woe torment When she her Squire heard speake she gan appease Her voluntarie paine and feele some secret ease Eftsoone she said Ah gentle trustie Squire What comfort can I wofull wretch conceaue Or why should euer I henceforth desire To see faire heauens face and life not leaue Sith that false Traytour did my honour reaue False traytour certes said the Faerie knight I read the man that euer would deceaue A gentle Ladie or her wrong through might Death were too little paine for such a foule despight But now faire Ladie comfort to you make And read who hath ye wrought this shamefull plight That short reuenge the man may ouertake Where so he be and soone vpon him light Certes said she I wote not how he hight But vnder him a gray steede did he wield Whose sides with dapled circles weren dight Vpright he rode and in his siluer shield He bore a bloudie Crosse that quartred all the field Now by my head said Guyon much I muse How that same knight should do so foule amis Or euer gentle Damzell so abuse For may I boldly say he surely is A right good knight and true 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 glorie wonne as I heare tell Nathlesse he shortly shall againe be tryde And fairely quite him of th' imputed blame Else be ye sure he dearely shall abyde Or make you good amendment for the same All wrongs haue mends but no amends of shame Now therefore Ladie rise out of your paine And see the saluing of your blotted 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 Lurckt false Duessa secretly vnseene As a chast Virgin that had wronged beene So had false Archimago her disguisd To cloke her guile with sorrow and sad teene And eke himselfe had craftily deuisd To be her Squire and do her seruice well aguisd Her late forlorne and naked he had found Where she did wander in waste wildernesse Lurking in rockes and caues farre vnder ground And with greene mode cou'ring her nakednesse To hide her shame and loathly filthinesse Sith her Prince Arthur of proud ornaments And borrow'd beautie spoyld Her nathelesse Th' enchaunter finding fit for his intents Did thus reuest and deckt with due 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 Ofsuch as vertues like mote vnto him allye So now he Guyon guides an vncouth way Through woods mountaines till they came at last Into a pleasant dale that lowly lay Betwixt two hils whose high heads ouerplast The valley did with coole shade ouercast Through midst thereof a little riuer rold By which there sate a knight with helme vnlast Himselfe refreshing with the liquid cold After his trauell long and labours manifold Loe yonder he cryde Archimage alowd That wrought the shamefull fast which I did shew And now he doth himselfe in secret shrowd To flie the vengeance for his outrage dew But vaine for ye shall dearely do him rew So God ye speed and send you good successe Which we farre off will here abide to vew So they him left inflam'd with wrathfulnesse That streight against that knight his speare he did addresse Who seeing him from farre so fierce to pricke His warlike armes about him gan embrace And in the rest his readie speare did sticke Tho when as still he saw him towards pace He gan rencounter him in equall race They bene ymet both readie to affrap When suddenly that warrriour gan abace His threatned speare as if some new mishap Had him betidde or hidden daunger did entrap And cryde Mercie Sir knight and mercie Lord For mine offence and heedlesse hardiment That had almost committed crime abhord And with reprochfull shame mine honour shent Whiles cursed steele against that badge I bent The sacred badge of my Redeemers death Which on your shield is set for ornament But his fierce foe his steede could stay vneath Who prickt with courage kene did cruell battell breath But when he heard him speake streight way he knew His error and himselfe inclyning sayd Ah deare Sir Guyon well becommeth you But me behoueth rather to vpbrayd Whose hastie hand so farre from reason strayd That almost it did haynous violence On that faire image of that heauenly Mayd That decks and armes your shield with faire defence Your court'sie takes on you anothers due offence So bene they both attone
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 sundrie spoiles she hath beene 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 bloud of Henalois which therein fell How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell That not Scuith guiridh it mote seeme to bee But rather y Scuith 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 warres to cease Whose footsteps Bladud following in arts Exceld at Athens all the learned preace From whence 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 entrails full of quicke Brimston Nourish the flames which they are warm'd vpon That to her people wealth they forth do well And health to euery forreine nation Yet he at last contending to excell The reach of men through flight into fond mischief fell Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raind But had no issue male him to succeed But three faire daughters which were well vptraind In all that seemed sit 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 Inquyrd 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 faire To paint it forth him to displeasance moou'd That in his crowne he counted her no haire But twixt the other twaine his kingdome whole did shaire So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scots And th' other to the king of Cambria And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lots But without dowre the wise Cordelia Was sent to Aganip of Celtica Their aged Syre thus cased of his crowne A priuate life led in Albania With Gonorill long had in great renowne That nought him grieu'd to bene 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 waxe of his continuall stay Tho to his daughter Rigan 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 too late That loue is not where most it is profest Too truely tryde in his extreamest state At last resolu'd likewise to proue the rest He to Cordelia him selfe addrest Who with entire affection him receau'd As for her Syre and king her seemed best And after all an army strong she leau'd To war on those which him had of his realme bereau'd So to his crowne she him restor'd 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 wearie of that wretched life her selfe she hong Then gan the bloudie brethren both to raine But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuie His brother Morgan prickt with proud disdaine To haue a pere in part of soueraintie And kindling coles of cruell enmitie Raisd warre and him in battell ouerthrew Whence as he to those woodie hils did flie Which hight of him Glamorgan there him slew Then did he raigne alone when he none equall knew His sonne Riuallo his dead roome did supply In whose sad time bloud did from heauen raine Next great Gurgustus then faire Caecily In constant peace their kingdomes did containe After whom Lago and Kinmarke did raine And Gorbogud till farre in yeares he grew Till his ambitious sonnes vnto them twaine Arraught the rule and from their father drew Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw But ô 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 forreine might Made warre on him and fell him selfe in fight Whose death t' auenge his mother mercilesse Most mercilesse of women VVyden hight Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse Here ended Brutus sacred progenie Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne With high renowme and great felicitie The noble braunch from th'antique stocke was torne Through discord and the royall 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 of Britons glory auncient Then vp arose a man of matchlesse might And wondrous wit to menage high affaires Who stird vp pitty of the stressed plight Of this sad Realme cut into sundry shaires By such as claymd themselues Brutes rightfull haires Gathered the Princes of the people loose To taken counsell of their common cares Who with his wisedom won him streight did choose Their king and swore him fealty to win or loose Then made he head against his enimies And Ymner slew or Logris miscreate Then Ruddoc and proud Stater both allyes This of Albanie newly nominate And that of Cambry king confirmed late He ouerthrew through his owne valiaunce Whos 's countreis he redus'd to quiet state And shortly brought to ciuill gouernaunce Now one which earst were many made through variaunce Then made he sacred lawes which some men say Were vnto him reueald in vision By which he freed the Traueilers high way The Churches part and Ploughmans portion Restraining stealth and strong extortion The gracious Numa of great Britanie For till his dayes the chiefe dominion By strength was wielded without pollicie Therefore he first wore crowne of gold for dignitie Donwallo dyde for what may liue for ay And left two sonnes of pearelesse prowesse both That sacked Rome too dearely did assay The recompence of their periured oth And ransackt Greece well tryde whē they were wroth Besides subiected Fraunce and Germany Which yet their prayses speake all be they loth And inly tremble at the memory Of Brennus and Bellinus kings of Britany Next them did Gurgunt great Bellinus sonne In rule succeede and eke in fathers prayse He Easterland subdewd and Danmarke
men plainely wot It was no mortall worke that seem'd and yet was not Her goodly lockes adowne her backe did flow Vnto her waste with flowres bescattered The which ambrosiall odours forth did throw To all about and all her shoulders spred As a new spring and likewise on her hed A Chapelet of sundry flowers she wore From vnder which the deawy humour shed Did tricle downe her haire like to the hore Congealed litle drops which doe the morne adore On her two pretty handmaides did attend One cald the Theise the other cald the Crane Which on her waited things amisse to mend And both behind vpheld her spredding traine Vnder the which her feet appeared plaine Her siluer feet faire washt against this day And her before there paced Pages twaine Both clad in colours like and like array The Doune eke the Frith both which prepard her way And after these the Sea Nymphs marched all All goodly damzels deckt with long greene haire Whom of their sire Nereides men call All which the Oceans daughter to him bare The gray eyde Doris all which fifty are All which she there on her attending had Swift Proto milde Eucrate Thetis faire Soft Spio sweete Endore Sao sad Light Doto wanton Glauce and Galene glad White hand Eunica proud Dynamene Ioyous Thalia goodly Amphitrite Louely Pasithee kinde Eulimene Light foote Cymothoe and sweete Melite Fairest Pherusa Phao lilly white Wondred Agaue Poris and Nesaea With Erato that doth in loue delite And Panopae and wise Protomedaea And snowy neckd Doris and milkewhite Galathaea Speedy Hippothoe and chaste Actea Large Lisianassa and Pronaea sage Euagore and light Pontoporea And she that with her least word can asswage The surging seas when they do sorest rage Cymodoce and stout Autonoe And Neso and Eione well in age And seeming still to smile Glauconome And she that hight of many heastes Polynome Fresh Alimeda deckt with girlond greene Hyponeo with salt bedewed wrests Laomedia like the christall sheene Liagore much praisd for wise behests And Psamathe for her brode snowy brests Cymo Eupompe and Themiste iust And she that vertue loues and vice detests Euarna and Menippe true in trust And Nemertea learned well to rule her lust All these the daughters of old Nereus were Which haue the sea in charge to them assinde To rule his tides and surges to vprere To bring forth stormes or fast them to vpbinde And sailers saue from wreckes of wrathfull winde And yet besides three thousand more there were Of th' Oceans seede but Ioues and Phoebus kinde The which in floods and fountaines doe appere And all mankinde do nourish with their waters clere The which more eath it were for mortall wight To tell the sands or count the starres on hye Or ought more hard then thinke to reckon right But well I wote that these which I descry Were present at this great solemnity And there amongst the rest the mother was Of luckelesse Marinell Cymodoce Which for my Muse her selfe now tyred has Vnto an other Canto I will ouerpas Cant. XII Marin for loue of Florimell In languor wastes his life The Nymph his mother getteth her And giues to him for wife O What an endlesse worke haue I in hand To count the seas abundant progeny Whose fruitfull seede farre passeth those in land And also those which wonne in th' azure sky For much more eath to tell the starres on hy Albe they endlesse seeme in estimation Then to recount the Seas posterity So fertile be the flouds in generation So huge their numbers and so numberlesse their nation Therefore the antique wisards well inuented That Venus of the fomy sea was bred For that the seas by her are most augmented Witnesse th'exceeding fry which there are fed And wondrous sholes which may of none be red Then blame me not if I haue err'd in count Of Gods of Nymphs Of riuers yet vnred For though their numbers do much more surmount Yet all those same were there which erst I did recount All those were there and many other more Whose names and nations were too long to tell That Proteus house they fild euen to the dore Yet were they all in order as befell According their degrees disposed well Amongst the rest was faire Cymodoce The mother of vnlucky Marinell Who thither with her came to learne and see The manner of the Gods when they at banquet be But for he was halfe mortall being bred Of mortall sire though of immortall wombe He might not with immortall food be fed Ne with th' eternall Gods to bancket come But walkt abrode and round about did rome To view the building of that vncouth place That seem'd vnlike vnto his earthly home Where as he to and fro by chaunce did trace There vnto him betid a disauentrous case Vnder the hanging of an hideous clieffe He heard the lamentable voice of one That piteously complaind her carefull grieffe Which neuer she before disclosd to none But to her selfe her sorrow did bemone So feelingly her case she did complaine That ruth it moued in the rocky stone And made it seeme to feele her grieuous paine And oft to grone with billowes beating from the maine Though vaine I see my sorrowes to vnfold And count my cares when none is nigh to heare Yet hoping griefe may lessen being told I will them tell though vnto no man neare For heauen that vnto all lends equall eare Is farre from hearing of my heauy plight And lowest hell to which I lie most neare Cares not what euils hap to wretched wight And greedy seas doe in the spoile of life delight Yet loe the seas I see by often beating Doe pearce the rockes and hardest marble weares But his hard rocky hart for no entreating Will yeeld but when my piteous plaints he heares Is hardned more with my aboundant teares Yet though he neuer list to me relent But let me waste in woe my wretched yeares Yet will I neuer of my loue repent But ioy that for his sake I suffer prisonment And when my weary ghost with griefe outworne By timely death shall winne her wished rest Let then this plaint vnto his eares be borne That blame it is to him that armes profest To let her die whom he might haue redrest There did she pause inforced to giue place Vnto the passion that her heart opprest And after she had wept and wail'd a space She gan afresh thus to renew her wretched case Ye Gods of seas if any Gods at all Haue care of right or ruth of wretches wrong By one or other way me woefull thrall Deliuer hence out of this dungeon strong In which I daily dying am too long And if ye deeme me death for louing one That loues not me then doe it not prolong But let me die and end my daies attone And let him liue vnlou'd or loue him selfe alone But if that life ye vnto me decree Then let mee liue as louers ought to do And of my lifes deare loue beloued
name resounded thrise So courage lent a cloke to cowardise And then to him came fayrest Florimell And goodly gan to greet his braue emprise And thousand thankes him yeeld that had so well Approu'd that day that she all others did excell To whom the boaster that all knights did blot With proud disdaine did scornefull answere make That what he did that day he did it not For her but for his owne deare Ladies sake Whom on his perill he did vndertake Both her and eke all others to excell And further did vncomely speaches crake Much did his words the gentle Ladie quell And turn'd aside for shame to heare what he did tell Then forth he brought his snowy Florimele Whom Trompart had in keeping there beside Couered from peoples gazement with a vele Whom when discouered they had throughly eide With great amazement they were stupefide And said that surely Florimell it was Or if it were not Florimell so tride That Florimell her selfe she then did pas So feeble skill of perfect things the vulgar has Which when as Marinell beheld likewise He was therewith exceedingly dismayd Ne wist he what to thinke or to deuise But like as one whom feends had made affrayd He long astonisht stood ne ought he sayd Ne ought he did but with fast fixed eies He gazed still vpon that snowy mayd Whom euer as he did the more auize The more to be true Florimell he did surmize As when two sunnes appeare in the azure skye Mounted in Phoebus charet fierie bright Both darting forth faire beames to each mans eye And both adorn'd with lampes of flaming light All that behold so strange prodigious sight Not knowing natures worke nor what to weene Are rapt with wonder and with rare affright So stood Sir Marinell when he had seene The semblant of this false by his faire beauties Queene All which when Artegall who all this while Stood in the preasse close couered well aduewed And saw that boasters pride and gracelesse guile He could no longer beare but forth issewed And vnto all himselfe there open shewed And to the boaster said Thou losell base That hast with borrowed plumes thy selfe endewed And others worth with leasings doest deface When they are all restor'd thou shalt rest in disgrace That shield which thou doest beare was it indeed Which this dayes honour sau'd to Marinell But not that arme nor thou the man I reed Which didst that seruice vnto Florimell For proofe shew forth thy sword and let it tell What strokes what dreadfull stoure it stird this day Or shew the wounds which vnto thee befell Or shew the sweat with which thou diddest sway So sharpe a battell that so many did dismay But this the sword which wrought those cruell stounds And this the arme the which that shield did beare And these the signes so shewed forth his wounds By which that glorie gotten doth appeare As for this Ladie which he sheweth here Is not I wager Florimell at all But some fayre Franion fit for such a fere That by misfortune in his hand did fall For proofe whereof he bad them Florimell forth call So forth the noble Ladie was ybrought Adorn'd with honor and all comely grace Whereto her bashfull shamefastnesse ywrought A great increase in her faire blushing face As roses did with lillies interlace For of those words the which that boaster threw She inly yet conceiued great disgrace Whom when as all the people such did vew They shouted loud and signes of gladnesse all did shew Then did he set her by that snowy one Like the true saint beside the image set Of both their beauties to make paragone And triall whether should the honor get Streight way so soone as both together met Th'enchaunted Damzell vanisht into nought Her snowy substance melted as with heat Ne of that goodly hew remayned ought But th' emptie girdle which about her wast was wrought As when the daughter of Thaumantes faire Hath in a watry cloud displayed wide Her goodly bow which paints the liquid ayre That all men wonder at her colours pride All suddenly ere one can looke aside The glorious picture vanisheth away Ne any token doth thereof abide So did this Ladies goodly forme decay And into nothing goe ere one could it bewray Which when as all that present were beheld They stricken were with great astonishment And their faint harts with senselesse horrour queld To see the thing that seem'd so excellent So stolen from their fancies wonderment That what of it became none vnderstood And Braggadochio selfe with dreriment So daunted was in his despeyring mood That like a lifelesse corse immoueable he stood But Artegall that golden belt vptooke The which of all her spoyle was onely left Which was not hers as many it mistooke But Florimells owne girdle from her reft While she was flying like a weary weft From that foule monster which did her compell To perils great which he vnbuckling eft Presented to the fayrest Florimell Who round about her tender wast it fitted well Full many Ladies often had assayd About their middles that faire belt to knit And many a one suppos'd to be a mayd Yet it to none of all their loynes would fit Till Florimell about her fastned it Such power it had that to no womans wast By any skill or labour it would sit Vnlesse that she were continent and chast But it would lose or breake that many had disgrast Whilest thus they busied were bout Florimell And boastfull Braggadochio to defame Sir Guyon as by fortune then befell Forth from the thickest preasse of people came His owne good steed which he had stolne to clame And th' one hand seizing on his golden bit With th' other drew his sword for with the same He ment the thiefe there deadly to haue smit And had he not bene held he nought had fayld of it Thereof great hurly burly moued was Throughout the hall for that same warlike horse For Braggadochio would not let him pas And Guyon would him algates haue perforse Or it approue vpon his carrion corse Which troublous stirre when Artegall perceiued He nigh them drew to stay th'auengers forse And gan inquire how was that steed bereaued Whether by might extort or else by slight deceaued Who all that piteous storie which befell About that wofull couple which were slaine And their young bloodie babe to him gan tell With whom whiles he did in the wood remaine His horse purloyned was by subtill traine For which he chalenged the thiefe to fight But he for nought could him thereto constraine For as the death he hated such despight And rather had to lose then trie in armes his right Which Artegall well hearing though no more By law of armes there neede ones right to trie As was the wont of warlike knights of yore Then that his foe should him the field denie Yet further right by tokens to descrie He askt what priuie tokens he did beare If that said Guyon may you satisfie