Full of disport still laughing loosely light And quite contrary to her sisters kind No measure in her mood no rule of right But poured out in pleasure and delight In wine and meats she flowd aboue the bancke And in excesse exceeded her owne might In sumptuous tire she ioyd her selfe to prancke But of her loue too lauish litle haue she thancke First by her side did sit the bold Sans-loy Fit mate for such a mincing mineon Who in her loosenesse tooke exceeding ioy Might not be found a franker franion Of her lewd parts to make companion But Huddibras more like a Malecontent Did see and grieue at his bold fashion Hardly could he endure his hardiment Yet still he sat and inly did him selfe torment Betwixt them both the faire Medina sate With sober grace and goodly carriage With equall measure she did moderate The strong extremities of their outrage That forward paire she euer would asswage When they would striue dew reason to exceed But that same froward twaine would accourage And of her plenty adde vnto their need So kept she them in order and her selfe in heed Thus fairely she attempered her feast And pleasd them all with meete satietie At last when lust of meat and drinke was ceast She Guyon deare besought of curtesie To tell from whence he came through ieopardie And whither now on new aduenture bound Who with bold grace and comely grauitie Drawing to him the eyes of all around From lofty siege began these words aloud to sound This thy demaund ô Lady doth reuiue Fresh memory in me of that great Queene Great and most glorious virgin Queene aliue That with her soueraigne powre and scepter shene All Faery lond does peaceable sustene In widest Ocean she her throne does reare That ouer all the earth it may be seene As morning Sunne her beames dispredden cleare And in her face faire peace and mercy doth appeare In her the richesse of all heauenly grace In chiefe degree are heaped vp on hye And all that else this worlds enclosure bace Hath great or glorious in mortall eye Adornes the person of her Maiestie That men beholding so great excellence And rare perfection in mortalitie Do her adore with sacred reuerence As th'Idole of her makers great magnificence To her I homage and my seruice owe In number of the noblest knights on ground Mongst whom on me she deigned to bestowe Order of Maydenhead the most renownd That may this day in all the world be found An yearely solemne feast she wontes to make The day that first doth lead the yeare around To which all knights of worth and courage bold Resort to heare of straunge aduentures to be told There this old Palmer shewed himselfe that day And to that mighty Princesse did complaine Of grieuous mischiefes which a wicked Fay Had wrought and many whelmd in deadly paine Whereof he crau'd redresse My Soueraine Whose glory is in gracious deeds and ioyes Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine Eftsoones deuisd redresse for such annoyes Me all vnfit for so great purpose she employes Now hath faire Phoebe with her siluer face Thrise seene the shadowes of the neather world Sith last I left that honorable place In which her royall presence is introld Ne euer shall I rest in house nor hold Till I that false Acrasia haue wonne Of whose fowle deedes too hideous to be told I witnesse am and this their wretched sonne Whose wofull parents she hath wickedly fordonne Tell on faire Sir said she that dolefull tale From which sad ruth does seeme you to restraine That we may pitty such vnhappy bale And learne from pleasures poyson to abstaine Ill by ensample good doth often gayne Then forward he his purpose gan pursew And told the storie of the mortall payne Which Mordant and Amauia did rew As with lamenting eyes him selfe did lately vew Night was far spent and now in Ocean deepe Orion flying fast from hissing snake His flaming head did hasten for to steepe When of his pitteous tale he end did make Whilest with delight of that he wisely spake Those guestes beguiled did beguile their eyes Of kindly sleepe that did them ouertake At last when they had markt the chaunged skyes They wist their houre was spēt thē each to rest him hyes Cant. III. Vaine Braggadocchio getting Guyons horse is made the scorne Of knighthood trew and is of fayre Belphoebe fowle forlorne SOone as the morrow faire with purple beames Disperst the shadowes of the mistie night And Titan playing on the eastern streames Gan cleare the deawy ayre with springing light Sir Guyon mindfull of his vow yplight Vprose from drowsie couch and him addrest Vnto the iourney which he had behight His puissaunt armes about his noble brest And many-folded shield he bound about his wrest Then taking Congé of that virgin pure The bloudy-handed babe vnto her truth Did earnestly commit and her coniure In vertuous lore to traine his tender youth And all that gentle noriture ensu'th And that so soone as ryper yeares he raught He might for memorie of that dayes ruth Be called Ruddymane and thereby taught T' auenge his Parēts death on them that had it wrought So forth he far'd as now befell on foot Sith his good steed is lately from him gone Patience perforce helpelesse what may it boot To fret for anger or for griefe to mone His Palmer now shall foot no more alone So fortune wrought as vnder greene woods syde He lately heard that dying Lady grone He left his steed without and speare besyde And rushed in on foot to ayd her ere she dyde The whiles a losell wandring by the way One that to bountie neuer cast his mind Ne thought of honour euer did assay His baser brest but in his kestrell kind A pleasing vaine of glory vaine did find To which his flowing toung and troublous spright Gaue him great ayd and made him more inclind He that braue steed there finding ready dight Purloynd both steed and speare and ran away full light Now gan his hart all swell in iollitie And of him selfe great hope and helpe conceiu'd That puffed vp with smoke of vanitie And with selfe-loued personage deceiu'd He gan to hope of men to be receiu'd For such as he him thought or faine would bee But for in court gay portaunce he perceiu'd And gallant shew to be in greatest gree Eftsoones to court he cast t'auaunce his first degree And by the way he chaunced to espy One sitting idle on a sunny bancke To whom auaunting in great brauery As Peacocke that his painted plumes doth prancke He smote his courser in the trembling flancke And to him threatned his hart-thrilling speare The seely man seeing him ryde so rancke And ayme at him fell flat to ground for feare And crying Mercy lowd his pitious hands gan reare Thereat the Scarcrow wexed wondrous prowd Through fortune of his first aduenture faire And with big thundring voyce reuyld him lowd Vile Caytiue vassall of dread and despaire
hellish entrailes did expire It chaunst eternall God that chaunce did guide As he recoyled backward in the mire His nigh forwearied feeble feet did slide And downe he fell with dread of shame sore terrifide There grew a goodly tree him faire beside Loaden with fruit and apples rosie red As they in pure vermilion had beene dide Whereof great vertues ouer all were red For happie life to all which thereon fed And life eke euerlasting did befall Great God it planted in that blessed sted With his almightie hand and did it call The tree of life the crime of our first fathers fall In all the world like was not to be found Saue in that soile where all good things did grow And freely sprong out of the fruitfull ground As incorrupted Nature did them sow Till that dread Dragon all did ouerthrow Another like faire tree eke grew thereby Whereof who so did eat eftsoones did know Both good and ill O mornefull memory That tree through one mans fault hath doen vs all to dy From that first tree forth flowd as from a well A trickling streame of Balme most soueraine And daintie deare which on the ground still fell And ouerflowed all the fertill plaine As it had deawed bene with timely raine Life and long health that gratious ointment gaue And deadly woundes could heale and reare againe The senselesse corse appointed for the graue Into that same he fell which did from death him saue For nigh thereto the euer damned beast Durst not approch for he was deadly made And all that life preserued did detest Yet he it oft aduentur'd to inuade By this the drouping day-light gan to fade And yeeld his roome to sad succeeding night Who with her sable mantle gan to shade The face of earth and wayes of liuing wight And high her burning torch set vp in heauen bright When gentle Vna saw the second fall Of her deare knight who wearie of long fight And faint through losse of blond mou'd not at all But lay as in a dreame of deepe delight Besmeard with pretious Balme whose vertuous might Did heale his wounds and scorching heat alay Againe she stricken was with sore affright And for his safetie gan deuoutly pray And watch the noyous night and wait for ioyous day The ioyous day gan early to appeare And faire Aurora from her deawy bed Of aged Tithone gan her selfe to reare With rosie cheekes for shame as blushing red Her golden lockes for haste were loosely shed About her eares when Vna her did marke Clymbe to her charet all with flowers spred From heauen high to chase the chearelesse darke With merry note her loud salutes the mounting larke Then freshly vp arose the doughtie knight All healed of his hurts and woundes wide And did himselfe to battell readie dight Whose early foe awaiting him beside To haue deuourd so soone as day he spyde When now he saw himselfe so freshly reare As if late fight had nought him damnifyde He woxe dismayd and gan his fate to feare Nathlesse with wonted rage he him aduaunced neare And in his first encounter gaping wide He thought attonce him to haue swallowd quight And rusht vpon him with outragious pride Who him r'encountring fierce as hauke in flight Perforce rebutted backe The weapon bright Taking aduantage of his open iaw Ran through his mouth with so importune might That deepe emperst his darksome hollow maw And back retyrd his life bloud forth with all did draw So downe he fell and forth his life did breath That vanisht into smoke and cloudes swift So downe he fell that th' earth him vnderneath Did grone as feeble so great load to lift So downe he fell as an huge rockie clift Whose false foundation waues haue washt away With dreadfull poyse is from the mayneland rift And rolling downe great Neptune doth dismay So downe he fell and like an heaped mountaine lay The knight himselfe euen trembled at his fall So huge and horrible a masse it seem'd And his deare Ladie that beheld it all Durst not approch for dread which she misdeem'd But yet at last when as the direfull feend She saw not stirre off-shaking vaine affright She nigher drew and saw that ioyous end Then God she praysd and thankt her faithfull knight That had atchieu'd so great a conquest by his might Cant. XII Faire Vna to the Redcrosse knight betrouthed is with ioy Though false Duessa it to barre her false sleights doe imploy BEhold I see the hauen nigh at hand To which I meane my wearie course to bend Vere the maine shete and beare vp with the land The which afore is fairely to be kend And seemeth safe from stormes that may offend There this faire virgin wearie of her way Must landed be now at her iourneyes end There eke my feeble barke a while may stay Till merry wind and weather call her thence away Scarsely had Phoebus in the glooming East Yet harnessed his firie-footed teeme Ne reard aboue the earth his flaming creast When the last deadly smoke aloft did steeme That signe of last outbreathed life did seeme Vnto the watchman on the castle wall Who thereby dead that balefull Beast did deeme And to his Lord and Ladie lowd gan call To tell how he had seene the Dragons fatall fall Vprose with hastie ioy and feeble speed That aged Sire the Lord of all that land And looked forth to weet if true indeede Those tydings were as he did vnderstand Which whenas true by tryall he out found He bad to open wyde his brazen gate Which long time had bene shut and out of hond Proclaymed ioy and peace through all his state For dead now was their foe which them forrayed late Then gan triumphant Trompets sound on hie That sent to heauen the ecchoed report Of their new ioy and happie victorie Gainst him that had them long opprest with tort And fast imprisoned in sieged fort Then all the people as in solemne feast To him assembled with one full consort Reioycing at the fall of that great beast From whose eternall bondage now they were releast Forth came that auncient Lord and aged Queene Arayd in antique robes downe to the ground And sad habiliments right well beseene A noble crew about them waited round Of sage and sober Peres all grauely gownd Whom farre before did march a goodly band Of tall young men all hable armes to sownd But now they laurell braunches bore in hand Glad signe of victorie and peace in all their land Vnto that doughtie Conquerour they came And him before themselues prostrating low Their Lord and Patrone loud did him proclame And at his feet their laurell boughes did throw Soone after them all dauncing on a row The comely virgins came with girlands dight As fresh as flowres in medow greene do grow When morning deaw vpon their leaues doth light And in their hands sweet Timbrels all vpheld on hight And them before the fry of children young Their wanton sports and childish mirth did
Vnworthie of the commune breathed aire Why liuest thou dead dog a lenger day And doest not vnto death thy selfe prepaire Dye or thy selfe my captiue yield for ay Great fauour I thee graunt for aunswere thus to stay Hold ô deare Lord hold your dead-doing hand Then loud he cryde I am your humble thrall Ah wretch quoth he thy destinies withstand My wrathfull will and do for mercy call I giue thee life therefore prostrated fall And kisse my stirrup that thy homage bee The Miser threw him selfe as an Offall Streight at his foot in base humilitee And cleeped him his liege to hold of him in fee. So happy peace they made and faire accord Eftsoones this liege-man gan to wexe more bold And when he felt the folly of his Lord In his owne kind he gan him selfe vnfold For he was wylie witted and growne old In cunning sleights and practick knauery For that day forth he cast for to vphold His idle humour with fine flattery And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity Trompart fit man for Braggadochio To serue at court in view of vaunting eye Vaine-glorious man when fluttring wind does blow In his light wings is lifted vp to skye The scorne of knighthood and trew cheualrye To thinke without desert of gentle deed And noble worth to be aduaunced hye Such prayse is shame but honour vertues meed Doth beare the fairest flowre in honorable seed So forth they pas a well consorted paire Till that at length with Archimage they meet Who seeing one that shone in armour faire On goodly courser thundring with his feet Eftsoones supposed him a person meet Of his reuenge to make the instrument For since the Redcrosse knight he earst did weet To beene with Guyon knit in one consent The ill which earst to him he now to Guyon ment And comming close to Trompart gan inquere Of him what mighty warriour that mote bee That rode in golden sell with single spere But wanted sword to wreake his enmitee He is a great aduenturer said he That hath his sword through hard assay forgone And now hath vowd till he auenged bee Of that despight neuer to wearen none That speare is him enough to doen a thousand grone Th' enchaunter greatly ioyed in the vaunt And weened well ere long his will to win And both his foen with equall foyle to daunt Tho to him louting lowly did begin To plaine of wrongs which had committed bin By Guyon and by that false Redcrosse knight Which two through treason and deceiptfull gin Had slaine Sir Mordant and his Lady bright That mote him honour win to wreake so foule despight Therewith all suddeinly he seemd enraged And threatned death with dreadfull countenaunce As if their liues had in his hand beene gaged And with stiffe force shaking his mortall launce To let him weet his doughtie valiaunce Thus said Old man great sure shal be thy meed If where those knights for feare of dew vengeaunce Do lurke thou certainly to me areed That I may wreake on them their hainous hatefull deed Certes my Lord said he that shall I soone And giue you eke good helpe to their decay But mote I wisely you aduise to doon Giue no ods to your foes but do puruay Your selfe of sword before that bloudy day For they be two the prowest knights on ground And oft approu'd in many hard assay And eke of surest steele that may be found Do arme your selfe against that day them to confound Dotard said he let be thy deepe aduise Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee faile And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wise Else neuer should thy iudgement be so fraile To measure manhood by the sword or maile Is not enough foure quarters of a man Withouten sword or shield an host to quaile Thou little wotest what this right hand can Speake they which haue beheld the battailes which it wan The man was much abashed at his boast Yet well he wist that who so would contend With either of those knights on euen coast Should need of all his armes him to defend Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend When Braggadocchio said Once I did sweare When with one sword seuen knights I brought to end Thence forth in battell neuer sword to beare But it were that which noblest knight on earth doth weare Perdie Sir knight said then th' enchaunter bliue That shall I shortly purchase to your hond For now the best and noblest knight aliue Prince Arthur is that wonnes in Faerie lond He hath a sword that flames like burning brond The same by my aduise I vndertake Shall by to morrow by thy side be fond At which bold word that boaster gan to quake And wondred in his mind what mote that monster make He stayd not for more bidding but away Was suddein vanished out of his sight The Northerne wind his wings did broad display At his commaund and reared him vp light From off the earth to take his aerie flight They look about but no where could espie Tract of his foot then dead through great affright They both nigh were and each bad other flie Both fled attonce ne euer backe returned eie Till that they come vnto a forrest greene In which they shrowd thēselues from causelesse feare Yet feare them followes still where so they beene Each trembling leafe and whistling wind they heare As ghastly bug their haire on end does reare Yet both doe striue their fearfulnesse to faine At last they heard a horne that shrilled cleare Throughout the wood that ecchoed againe And made the forrest ring as it would riue in twaine Eft through the thicke they heard one rudely rush With noyse whereof he from his loftie steed Downe fell to ground and crept into a bush To hide his coward head from dying dreed But Trompart stoutly stayd to taken heed Of what might hap Eftsoone there stepped forth A goodly Ladie clad in hunters weed That seemd to be a woman of great worth And by her stately portance borne of heauenly birth Her face so faire as flesh it seemed not But heauenly pourtraict of bright Angels hew Cleare as the skie withouten blame or blot Through goodly mixture of complexions dew And in her cheekes the vermeill red did shew Like roses in a bed of lillies shed The which ambrosiall odours from them threw And gazers sense with double pleasure fed Hable to heale the sicke and to reuiue the ded In her faire eyes two liuing lamps did flame Kindled aboue at th'heauenly makers light And darted fyrie beames out of the same So passing persant and so wondrous bright That quite bereau'd the rash beholders sight In them the blinded god his lustfull fire To kindle oft assayd but had no might For with dredd Maiestie and awfull ire She broke his wanton darts and quenched base desire Her iuorie forhead full of bountie braue Like a broad table did it selfe dispred For Loue his loftie triumphes to engraue And write the battels of his great godhed
Frayle men are oft captiu'd to couetise But would they thinke with how small allowaunce Vntroubled Nature doth her selfe suffise Such superfluities they would despise Which with sad cares empeach our natiue ioyes At the well head the purest streames arise But mucky filth his braunching armes annoyes And with vncomely weedes the gentle waue accloyes The antique world in his first flowring youth Found no defect in his Creatours grace But with gladthankes and vnreproued truth Tne gifts of soueraigne bountie did embrace Like Angels life was then mens happy cace But later ages pride like corn-fed steed Abusd her plenty and fat swolne encreace To all licentious lust and gan exceed The measure of her meane and naturall first need Then gan a cursed hand the quiet wombe Of his great Gandmother with steele to wound And the hid treasures in her sacred tombe With Sacriledge to dig Therein he found Fountaines of gold and siluer to abound Of which the matter of his huge desire And pompous pride eftsoones he did compound Then auarice gan through his veines inspire His greedy flames and kindled life-deuouring fire Sonne said he then let be thy bitter scorne And leaue the rudenesse of antique age To them that liu'd therein in state forlorne Thou that doest liue in later times must wage Thy workes for wealth and life for gold engage If then thee list my offred grace to vse Take what thou please of all this surplusage If thee list not leaue haue thou to refuse But thing refused do not afterward accuse Me list not said the Elfin knight receaue Thing offred till I know it well be got Ne wote I but thou didst these goods bereaue From rightfull owner by vnrighteous lot Or that bloud guiltnesse or guile them blot Perdy quoth he yet neuer eye did vew Ne toung did tell ne hand these handled not But safe I haue them kept in secret mew From heauens sight and powre of all which thē pursew What secret place quoth he can safely hold So huge a masse and hide from heauens eye Or where hast thou thy wonne that so much gold Thou canst preserue from wrong and robbery Come thou quoth he and see So by and by Through that thicke couert he him led and found A darkesome way which no man could descry That deepe descended through the hollow ground And was with dread and horrour compassed around At length they came into a larger space That stretcht it selfe into an ample plaine Through which a beaten broad high way did trace That streight did lead to Plutoes griefly raine By that wayes side there fate infernall Payne And fast beside him sat tumultuous Strife The one in hand an yron whip did straine The other brandished a bloudy knife And both did gnash their teeth both did threaten life On thother side in one consort there sate Cruell Reuenge and rancorous Despight Disloyall Treason and hart-burning Hate But gnawing Gealosie out of their sight Sitting alone his bitter lips did bight And trembling Feare still to and fro did fly And found no place where safe he shroud him might Lamenting Sorrow did in darknesse lye And Shame his vgly face did hide from liuing eye And ouer them sad horrour with grim hew Did alwayes sore beating his yron wings And after him Owles and Night-rauens flew The hatefull messengers of heauy things Of death and dolour telling sad tidings Whiles sad Celeno sitting on a clift A song of bale and bitter sorrow sings That hart of flint a sunder could haue rift Which hauing ended after him she flyeth swift All these before the gates of Pluto lay By whom they passing spake vnto them nought But th'Elfin knight with wonder all the way Did feed his eyes and fild his inner thought At last him to a litle dore he brought That to the gate of Hell which gaped wide Was next adioyning ne them parted ought Betwixt them both was but a litle stride That did the house of Richesse from hell-mouth diuide Before the dore sat selfe-consuming Care Day and night keeping wary watch and ward For feare least Force or Fraud should vnaware Breake in and spoile the treasure there in gard Ne would he suffer Sleepe once thither-ward Approch albe his drowsie den were next For next to death is Sleepe to be compard Therefore his house is vnto his annext Here Sleep there Richesse Hel-gate thē both betwext So soone as Mammon there arriu'd the dore To him did open and affoorded way Him followed eke Sir Guyon euermore Ne darkenesse him ne daunger might dismay Soone as he entred was the dore streight way Did shut and from behind it forth there lept An vgly feend more fowle then dismall day The which with monstrous stalke behind him stept And euer as he went dew watch vpon him kept Well hoped he ere long that hardy guest If euer couetous hand or lustfull eye Or lips he layd on thing that likt him best Or euer sleepe his eye-strings did vntye Should be his pray And therefore still on hye He ouer him did hold his cruell clawes Threatning with greedy gripe to do him dye And rend in peeces with his rauenous pawes If euer he transgrest the fatall Stygian lawes That houses forme within was rude and strong Like an huge caue hewne out of rocky clift From whose rough vaut the ragged breaches hong Embost with massy gold of glorious gift And with rich metall loaded euery rift That heauy ruine they did seeme to threat And ouer them Arachne high did lift Her cunning web and spred her subtile net Enwrapped in fowle smoke and clouds more blacke then Iet Both roofe and floore and wals were all of gold But ouergrowne with dust and old decay And hid in darkenesse that none could behold The hew thereof for vew of chearefull day Did neuer in that house it selfe display But a faint shadow of vncertain light Such as a lamp whose life does fade away Or as the Moone cloathed with clowdy night Does shew to him that walkes in feare and sad affright In all that rowme was nothing to be seene But huge great yron chests and coffers strong All bard with double bends that none could weene Them to efforce by violence or wrong On euery side they placed were along But all the ground with sculs was scattered And dead mens bones which round about were flong Whose liues it seemed whilome there were shed And their vile carcases now left vnburied They forward passe ne Guyon yet spoke word Till that they came vnto an yron dore Which to them opened of his owne accord And shewd of richesse such exceeding store As eye of man did neuer see before Ne euer could within one place be found Though all the wealth which is or was of yore Could gathered be through all the world around And that aboue were added to that vnder ground The charge thereof vnto a couetous Spright Commaunded was who thereby did attend And warily awaited day and night From other
chyld Pleasure that doth both gods and men aggrate Pleasure the daughter of Cupid and Psyche late Hither great Venus brought this infant faire The younger daughter of Chrysogonee And vnto Psyche with great trust and care Committed her yfostered to bee And trained vp in true feminitee Who no lesse carefully her tendered Then her owne daughter Pleasure to whom shee Made her companion and her lessoned In all the lore of loue and goodly womanhead In which when she to perfect ripenesse grew Of grace and beautie noble Paragone She brought her forth into the worldes vew To be th'ensample of true loue alone And Lodestarre of all chaste affectione To all faire Ladies that doe liue on ground To Faery court she came where many one Admyrd her goodly haueour and found His feeble hart wide launched with loues cruell wound But she to none of them her loue did cast Saue to the noble knight Sir Scudamore To whom her louing hart she linked fast In fathfull loue t' abide for euermore And for his dearest sake endured sore Sore trouble of an hainous enimy Who her would forced haue to haue forlore Her former loue and stedfast loialty As ye may elsewhere read that ruefull history But well I weene ye first desire to learne What end vnto that fearefull Damozell Which fled so fast from that same foster stearne Whom with his brethren Timias slew befell That was to weet the goodly Florimell Who wandring for to seeke her louer deare Her louer deare her dearest Marinell Into misfortune fell as ye did heare And from Prince Arthur fled with wings of idle feare Cant. VII The witches sonne loues Florimell she flyes he faines to die Satyrane saues the Squire of Dames from Gyants tyrannie LIke as an Hynd forth singled from the heard That hath escaped from a rauenous beast Yet flyes away of her owne feet affeard And euery leafe that shaketh with the least Murmure of winde her terror hath encreast So fled faire Florimell from her vaine feare Long after she from perill was releast Each shade she saw and each noyse she did heare Did seeme to be the same which she escapt whyleare All that same euening she in flying spent And all that night her course continewed Ne did she let dull sleepe once to relent Nor wearinesse to slacke her hast but fled Euer alike as if her former dred Were hard behind her readie to arrest And her white Palfrey hauing conquered The maistring raines out of her weary wrest Perforce her carried where euer he thought best So long as breath and hable puissance Did natiue courage vnto him supply His pace he freshly forward did aduaunce And carried her beyond all ieopardy But nought that wanteth rest can long aby He hauing through incessant trauell spent His force at last perforce a downe did ly Ne foot could further moue The Lady gent Thereat was suddein strooke with great astonishment And forst t' alight on foot mote algates fare A traueller vnwonted to such way Need teacheth her this lesson hard and rare That fortune all in equall launce doth sway And mortall miseries doth make her play So long she trauelled till at length she came To an hilles side which did to her bewray A little valley subiect to the same All couerd with thick woods that quite it ouercame Through the tops of the high trees she did descry A litle smoke whose vapour thin and light Reeking aloft vprolled to the sky Which chearefull signe did send vnto her sight That in the same did wonne some liuing wight Estsoones her steps she thereunto applyde And came at last in weary wretched plight Vnto the place to which her hope did guyde To find some refuge there and rest her weary syde There in a gloomy hollow glen she found A little cottage built of stickes and reedes In homely wize and wald with sods around In which a witch did dwell in loathly weedes And wilfull want all carelesse of her needes So choosing solitarie to abide Far from all neighbours that her deuilish deedes And hellish arts from people she might hide And hurt far off vnknowne whom euer she enuide The Damzell there arriuing entred in Where sitting on the flore the Hag she found Busie as seem'd about some wicked gin Who soone as she beheld that sudde in stound Lightly vpstarted from the dustie ground And with fell looke and hollow deadly gaze Stared on her awhile as one astound Ne had one word to speake for great amaze But shewd by outward signes that dread her sence did daze At last turning her feare to foolish wrath She askt what deuill had her thither brought And who she was and what vnwonted path Had guided her vnwelcomed vnsought To which the Damzell full of doubtfull thought Her mildly answer'd Beldame be not wroth With silly Virgin by aduenture brought Vnto your dwelling ignorant and loth That craue but rowme to rest while tempest ouerblo'th With that adowne out of her Christall eyne Few trickling teares she softly forth let fall That like two Orient pearles did purely shyne Vpon her snowy cheeke and therewithall She sighed soft that none so bestiall Nor saluage hart but ruth of her sad plight Would make to melt or pitteously appall And that vile Hag all were her whole delight In mischiefe was much moued at so pitteous sight And gan recomfort her in her rude wyse With womanish compassion of her plaint Wiping the teares from her suffused eyes And bidding her sit downe to rest her faint And wearie limbs a while She nothing quaint Nor s'deignfull of so homely fashion Sith brought she was now to so hard constraint Sate downe vpon the dusty ground anon As glad of that small rest as Bird of tempest gon Tho gan she gather vp her garments rent And her loose lockes to dight in order dew With golden wreath and gorgeous ornament Whom such whenas the wicked Hag did vew She was astonisht at her heauenly hew And doubted her to deeme an earthly wight But or some Goddesse or of Dianes crew And thought her to adore with humble spright T' adore thing so diuine as beauty were but right This wicked woman had a wicked sonne The comfort of her age and weary dayes A laesie loord for nothing good to donne But stretched forth in idlenesse alwayes Ne euer cast his mind to couet prayse Or ply him selfe to any honest trade But all the day before the sunny rayes He vs'd to slug or sleepe in slothfull shade Such laesinesse both lewd and poore attonce him made He comming home at vndertime there found The fairest creature that he euer saw Sitting beside his mother on the ground The sight whereof did greatly him adaw And his base thought with terrour and with aw So inly smot that as one which had gazed On the bright Sunne vnwares doth soone withdraw His feeble eyne with too much brightnesse dazed So stared he on her and stood long while amazed Softly at last he gan his mother aske
She cast to vse both fit for hard emprize For thy from that same roome not to depart Till morrow next she did her selfe auize When that same Maske againe should forth arize The morrow next appeard with ioyous cheare Calling men to their daily exercize Then she as morrow fresh her selfe did reare Out of her secret stand that day for to out weare All that day she outwore in wandering And gazing on that Chambers ornament Till that againe the second euening Her couered with her sable vestiment Wherewith the worlds faire beautie she hath blent Then when the second watch was almost past That brasen dore flew open and in went Bold Britomart as she had late forecast Neither of idle shewes nor of false charmes aghast So soone as she was entred round about She cast her eies to see what was become Of all those persons which she saw without But lo they streight were vanisht all and some Ne liuing wight she saw in all that roome Saue that same woefull Ladie both whose hands Were bounden fast that did her ill become And her small wast girt round with yron bands Vnto a brasen pillour by the which she stands And her before the vile Enchaunter sate Figuring straunge characters of his art With liuing bloud he those characters wrate Dreadfully dropping from her dying hart Seeming transfixed with a cruell dart And all perforce to make her him to loue Ah who can loue the worker of her smart A thousand charmes he formerly did proue Yet thousand charmes could not her stedfast heart remoue Soone as that virgin knight he saw in place His wicked bookes in hast he ouerthrew Not caring his long labours to deface And fiercely ronning to that Lady trew A murdrous knife out of his pocket drew The which he thought for villeinous despight In her tormented bodie to embrew But the stout Damzell to him leaping light His cursed hand withheld and maistered his might From her to whom his fury first he ment The wicked weapon rashly he did wrest And turning to her selfe his fell intent Vnwares it strooke into her snowie chest That little drops empurpled her faire brest Exceeding wroth therewith the virgin grew Albe the wound were nothing deepe imprest And fiercely forth her mortall blade she drew To giue him the reward for such vile outrage dew So mightily she smote him that to ground He fell halfe dead next stroke him should haue slaine Had not the Lady which by him stood bound Dernely vnto him called to abstaine From doing him to dy For else her paine Should be remedilesse sith none but hee Which wrought it could the same recure againe Therewith she stayd her hand loth stayd to bee For life she him enuyde and long'd reuenge to see And to him said Thou wicked man whose meed For so huge mischiefe and vile villany Is death or if that ought do death exceed Be sure that nought may saue thee from to dy But if that thou this Dame doe presently Restore vnto her health and former state This doe and line else die vndoubtedly He glad of life that lookt for death but late Did yield himselfe right willing to prolong his date And rising vp gan streight to ouerlooke Those cursed leaues his charmes backe to reuerse Full dreadfull things out of that balefull booke He red and measur'd many a sad verse That horror gan the virgins hart to perse And her faire lockes vp stared stiffe on end Hearing him those same bloudy lines reherse And all the while he red she did extend Her sword high ouer him if ought he did offend Anon she gan perceiue the house to quake And all the dores to rattle round about Yet all that did not her dismaied make Nor slacke her threatfull hand for daungers dout But still with stedfast eye and courage stout Abode to weet what end would come of all At last that mightie chaine which round about Her tender waste was wound adowne gan fall And that great brasen pillour broke in peeces small The cruell steele which thrild her dying hart Fell softly forth as of his owne accord And the wyde wound which lately did dispart Her bleeding brest and riuen bowels gor'd Was closed vp as it had not bene bor'd And euery part to safety full sound As she were neuer hurt was soone restor'd Tho when she felt her selfe to be vnbound And perfect hole prostrate she fell vnto the ground Before faire Britomart she fell prostrate Saying Ah noble knight what worthy meed Can wretched Lady quit from wofull state Yield you in liew of this your gratious deed Your vertue selfe her owne reward shall breed Euen immortall praise and glory wyde Which I your vassall by your prowesse freed Shall through the world make to be notifyde And goodly well aduance that goodly well was tryde But Britomart vprearing her from ground Said Gentle Dame reward enough I weene For many labours more then I haue found This that in safety now I haue you seene And meane of your deliuerance haue beene Henceforth faire Lady comfort to you take And put away remembrance of late teene In stead thereof know that your louing Make Hath no lesse griefe endured for your gentle sake She much was cheard to heare him mentiond Whom of all liuing wights she loued best Then laid the noble Championesse strong hond Vpon th' enchaunter which had her distrest So sore and with foule outrages opprest With that great chaine wherewith not long ygo He bound that pitteous Lady prisoner now relest Himselfe she bound more worthy to be so And captiue with her led to wretchednesse and wo. Returning backe those goodly roomes which erst She saw so rich and royally arayd Now vanisht vtterly and cleane subuerst She found and all their glory quite decayd That sight of such a chaunge her much dismayd Thence forth descending to that perlous Porch Those dreadfull flames she also found delayd And quenched quite like a consumed torch That erst all entrers wont so cruelly to scorch More easie issew now then entrance late She found for now that fained dreadfull flame Which chokt the porch of that enchaunted gate And passage bard to all that thither came Was vanisht quite as it were not the same And gaue her leaue at pleasure forth to passe Th' Enchaunter selfe which all that fraud did frame To haue efforst the loue of that faire lasse Seeing his worke now wasted deepe engrieued was But when the victoresse arriued there Where late she left the pensife Scudamore With her owne trusty Squire both full of feare Neither of them she found where she them lore There at her noble hart was stonisht sore But most faire Amoret whose gentle spright Now gan to feede on hope which she before Conceiued had to see her owne deare knight Being thereof beguyld was fild with new affright But he sad man when he had long in drede Awayted there for Britomarts returne Yet saw her not nor signe of her good speed His expectation
that was wont be best For during Saturnes ancient raigne it 's sayd That all the world with goodnesse did abound All loued vertue no man was affrayd Of force ne fraud in wight was to be found No warre was knowne no dreadfull trompets sound Peace vniuersall rayn'd mongst men and beasts And all things freely grew out of the ground Iustice sate high ador'd with solemne feasts And to all people did diuide her dred beheasts Most sacred vertue she of all the rest Resembling God in his imperiall might Whose soueraine powre is herein most exprest That both to good and bad he dealeth right And all his workes with Iustice hath bedight That powre he also doth to Princes lend And makes then like himselfe in glorious sight To sit in his owne seate his cause to end And rule his people right as he doth recommend Dread Souerayne Goddesse that doest highest sit In seate of iudgement in th' Almighties place And with magnificke might and wondrous wit Doest to thy people righteous doome aread That furthest Nations filles with awfull dread Pardon the boldnesse of thy basest thrall That dare discourse of so diuine a read As thy great iustice praysed ouer all The instrument whereof loe here thy Artegall Cant. I. Artegall trayn'd in Iustice lore Irenaes quest pursewed He doeth auenge on Sanglier his Ladies bloud embrewed THough vertue then were held in highest price In those old times of which I doe intreat Yet then likewise the wicked seede of vice Began to spring which shortly grew full great And with their boughes the gentle plants did beat But euermore some of the vertuous race Rose vp inspired with heroicke heat That cropt the branches of the sient base And with strong hand their fruitfull rancknes did deface Such first was Bacchus that with furious might All th' East before vntam'd did ouerronne And wrong repressed and establisht right Which lawlesse men had formerly fordonne There Iustice first her princely rule begonne Next Hercules his like ensample shewed Who all the West with equall conquest wonne And monstrous tyrants with his club subdewed The club of Iustice dread with kingly powre endewed And such was he of whom I haue to tell The Champion of true Iustice Artegall Whom as ye lately mote remember well An hard aduenture which did then befall Into redoubted perill forth did call That was to succour a distressed Dame Whom a strong tyrant did vniustly thrall And from the heritage which she did clame Did with strong hand withhold Grantorto was his name Wherefore the Lady which Eirena hight Did to the Faery Queene her way addresse To whom complayning her afflicted plight She her besought of gratious redresse That soueraine Queene that mightie Emperesse Whose glorie is to aide all suppliants pore And of weake Princes to be Patronesse Chose Artegall to right her to restore For that to her he seem'd best skild in righteous lore For Artegall in iustice was vpbrought Euen from the cradle of his infancie And all the depth of rightfull doome was taught By faire Astraea with great industrie Whilest here on earth the liued mortallie For till the world from his perfection fell Into all filth and foule iniquitie Astraea here mongst earthly men did dwell And in the rules of iustice them instructed well Whiles through the world she walked in this sort Vpon a day she found this gentle childe Amongst his peres playing his childish sport Whom seeing fit and with no crime defilde She did allure with gifts and speaches milde To wend with her So thence him farre she brought Into a caue from companie exilde In which she noursled him till yeares he raught And all the discipline of iustice there him taught There she him taught to weigh both right and wrong In equall ballance with due recompence And equitie to measure out along According to the line of conscience When so it needs with rigour to dispence Of all the which for want there of mankind She caused him to make experience Vpon wyld beasts which she in woods did find With wrongfull powre oppressing others of their kind Thus she him trayned and thus she him taught In all the skill of deeming wrong and right Vntill the ripenesse of mans yeares he raught That euen wilde beasts did feare his awfull sight And men admyr'd his ouerruling might Ne any liu'd on ground that durst withstand His dreadfull heast much lesse him match in fight Or bide the horror of his wreakfull hand When so he list in wrath lift vp his steely brand Which steely brand to make him dreaded more She gaue vnto him gotten by her slight And earnest search where it was kept in store In Ioues eternall house vnwist of wight Since he himselfe it vs'd in that great fight Against the Titans that whylome rebelled Gainst highest heauen Chrysaor it was hight Chrysaor that all other swords excelled Well prou'd in that same day when Ioue those Gyants quelled For of most perfect metall it was made Tempred with Adamant amongst the same And garnisht all with gold vpon the blade In goodly wise whereof it tooke his name And was of no lesse vertue then of fame For there no substance was so firme and hard But it would pierce or cleaue where so it came Ne any armour could his dint out ward But wheresoeuer it did light it throughly shard Now when the world with sinne gan to abound Astraea loathing lenger here to space Mongst wicked men in whom no truth she found Return'd to heauen whence she deriu'd her race Where she hath now an euerlasting place Mongst those twelue signes which nightly we doe see The heauens bright-shining baudricke to enchace And is the Virgin sixt in her degree And next her selfe her righteous ballance hanging bee But when she parted hence she left her groome An yron man which did on her attend Alwayes to execute her stedfast doome And willed him with Artegall to wend And doe what euer thing he did intend His name was Talus made of yron mould Immoueable resistlesse without end Who in his hand an yron flale did hould With which he thresht out falshood and did truth vnfould He now went with him in this new inquest Him for to aide if aide he chaunst to neede Against that cruell Tyrant which opprest The faire Irena with his foule misdeede And kept the crowne in which she should succeed And now together on their way they bin When as they saw a Squire in squallid weed Lamenting sore his sorowfull sad tyne With many bitter teares shed from his blubbred eyne To whom as they approched they espide A sorie sight as euer seene with eye An headlesse Ladie lying him beside In her owne blood all wallow'd wofully That her gay clothes did in discolour die Much was he moued at that ruefull sight And flam'd with zeale of vengeance inwardly He askt who had that Dame so fouly dight Or whether his owne hand or whether other wight Ah woe is me and well away quoth
their rigour they releast Ne once to breath a while their angers tempest ceast Thus long they trac'd and trauerst to and fro And tryde all waies how each mote entrance make Into the life of his malignant foe They hew'd their helmes and plates asunder brake As they had potshares bene for nought mote slake Their greedy vengeaunces but goary blood That at the last like to a purple lake Of bloudy gore congeal'd about them stood Which from their riuen sides forth gushed like a flood At length it chaunst that both their hands on hie At once did heaue with all their powre and might Thinking the vtmost of their force to trie And proue the finall fortune of the fight But Calidore that was more quicke of sight And nimbler handed then his enemie Preuented him before his stroke could light And on the helmet smote him formerlie That made him stoupe to ground with meeke humilitie And ere he could recouer foot againe He following that faire aduantage fast His stroke redoubled with such might and maine That him vpon the ground he groueling cast And leaping to him light would haue vnlast His Helme to make vnto his vengeance way Who seeing in what daunger he was plast Cryde out Ah mercie Sir doe me not slay But saue my life which lot before your foot doth lay With that his mortall hand a while he stayd And hauing somewhat calm'd his wrathfull heat With goodly patience thus he to him sayd And is the boast of that proud Ladies threat That menaced me from the field to beat Now brought to this By this now may ye learne Strangers no more so rudely to intreat But put away proud looke and vsage sterne The which shal nought to you but foule dishonor yearne For nothing is more blamefull to a knight That court'sie doth as well as armes professe How euer strong and fortunate in fight Then the reproch of pride and cruelnesse In vaine he seeketh others to suppresse Who hath not learnd him selfe first to subdew All flesh is frayle and full of ficklenesse Subiect to fortunes chance still chaunging new What haps to day to me to morrow may to you Who will not mercie vnto others shew How can he mercy euer hope to haue To pay each with his owne is right and dew Yet since ye mercie now doe need to craue I will it graunt your hopelesse life to saue With these conditions which I will propound First that ye better shall your selfe behaue Vnto all errant knights whereso on ground Next that ye Ladies ayde in euery stead and stound The wretched man that all this while did dwell In dread of death his heasts did gladly heare And promist to performe his precept well And whatsoeuer else he would requere So suffring him to rise he made him sweare By his owne sword and by the crosse thereon To take Briana for his louing fere Withouten dowre or composition But to release his former foule condition All which accepting and with faithfull oth Bynding himselfe most firmely to obay He vp arose how euer liefe or loth And swore to him true fealtie for aye Then forth he cald from sorrowfull dismay The sad Briana which all this beheld Who comming forth yet full of late affray Sir Calidore vpcheard and to her teld All this accord to which he Crudor had compeld Whereof she now more glad then sory earst All ouercome with infinite affect For his exceeding courtesie that pearst Her stubborne hart with inward deepe effect Before his feet her selfe she did proiect And him adoring as her liues deare Lord With all due thankes and dutifull respect Her selfe acknowledg'd bound for that accord By which he had to her both life and loue restord So all returning to the Castle glad Most ioyfully she them did entertaine Where goodly glee and feast to them she made To shew her thankefull mind and meaning faine By all the meanes she mote it best explaine And after all vnto Sir Calidore She freely gaue that Castle for his paine And her selfe bound to him for euermore So wondrously now chaung'd from that she was afore But Calidore himselfe would not retaine Nor land nor fee for hyre of his good deede But gaue them streight vnto that Squire againe Whom from her Seneschall he lately freed And to his damzell as their rightfull meed For recompence of all their former wrong There he remaind with them right well agreed Till of his wounds he wexed hole and strong And then to his first quest he passed forth along Cant. II. Calidore sees young Tristram slay A proud discourteous knight He makes him Squire and of him learnes his state and present plight WHat vertue is so fitting for a knight Or for a Ladie whom a knight should loue As Curtesie to beare themselues aright To all of each degree as doth behoue For whether they be placed high aboue Or low beneath yet ought they well to know Their good that none them rightly may reproue Of rudenesse for not yeelding what they owe Great skill it is such duties timely to bestow Thereto great helpe dame Nature selfe doth lend For some so goodly gratious are by kind That euery action doth them much commend And in the eyes of men great liking find Which others that haue greater skill in mind Though they enforce themselues cannot attaine For euerie thing to which one is inclin'd Doth best become and greatest grace doth gaine Yet praise likewise deserue good thewes enforst with paine That well in courteous Calidore appeares Whose euery act and deed that he did say Was like enchantment that through both the eyes And both the eares did steale the hart away He now againe is on his former way To follow his first quest when as he spyde A tall young man from thence not farre away Fighting on foot as well he him descryde Against an armed knight that did on horsebacke ryde And them beside a Ladie faire he saw Standing alone on foot in foule array To whom himselfe he hastily did draw To weet the cause of so vncomely fray And to depart them if so be he may But ere he came in place that youth had kild That armed knight that low on ground he lay Which when he saw his hart was inly child With great amazement his thought with wonder fild Him stedfastly he markt and saw to bee A goodly youth of amiable grace Yet but a slender slip that scarse did see Yet seuenteene yeares but tall and faire of face That sure he deem'd him borne of noble race All in a woodmans iacket he was clad Of lincolne greene belayd with siluer lace And on his head an hood with aglets sprad And by his side his hunters horne he hanging had Buskins he wore of costliest cordwayne Pinckt vpon gold and paled part per part As then the guize was for each gentle swayne In his right hand he held a trembling dart Whose fellow he before had sent apart And in his left he held a sharpe