them selues on her to wreake Who as she nigh vnto them drew the one These vile reproches gan vnto her speake Thou recreant false traytor that with lone Of armes hast knighthood stolne yet Knight art none No more shall now the darkenesse of the night Defend thee from the vengeance of thy fone But with thy bloud thou shalt appease the spright Of Guizor by thee slaine and murdred by thy slight Strange were the words in Britomartis eare Yet stayd she not for them but forward fared Till to the perillous Bridge she came and there Talus desir'd that he might haue prepared The way to her and those two losels scared But she thereat was wroth that for despight The glauncing sparkles through her beuer glared And from her eies did flash out fiery light Like coles that through a siluer Censer sparkle bright She stayd not to aduise which way to take But putting spurres vnto her fiery beast Thorough the midst of them she way did make The one of them which most her wrath increast Vppon her speare she bore before her breast Till to the Bridges further end she past Where falling downe his challenge he releast The other ouer side the Bridge she cast Into the riuer where he drunke his deadly last As when the flashing Leuin haps to light Vppon two stubborne oakes which stand so neare That way betwixt them none appeares in sight The Engin fiercely flying forth doth teare Th' one from the earth through the aire doth beare The other it withforce doth ouerthrow Vppon one side and from his rootes doth reare So did the Championesse those two there strow And to their sire their carcasses left to bestow Cant. VII Britomart comes to Isis Church Where shee strange visions sees She fights with Radigund her slases And Artegall thence frees NOught is on earth more sacred or diuine That Gods and men doe equally adore Then this same vertue that doth right define For th'heuens thēselues whence mortal men implore Right in their wrongs are rul'd by righteous lore Of highest Ioue who doth true iustice deale To his inferiour Gods and euermore Therewith containes his heauenly Common-weale The skill whereof to Princes hearts he doth reueale Well therefore did the antique world inuent That Iustice was a God of soueraine grace And altars vnto him and temples lent And heauenly honours in the highest place Calling him great Osyris of the race Of th' old Aegyptian Kings that whylome were With fayned colours shading a true case For that Osyris whilest he liued here The iustest man aliue and truest did appeare His wife was Isis whom they likewise made A Goddesse of great powre and souerainty And in her person cunningly did shade That part of Iustice which is Equity Whereof I haue to treat here presently Vnto whose temple when as Britomart Arriued shee with great humility Did enter in ne would that night depart But Talus mote not be admitted to her part There she receiued was in goodly wize Of many Priests which duely did attend Vppon the rites and daily sacrifize All clad in linnen robes with siluer hemd And on their heads with long locks comely kemd They wore rich Mitres shaped like the Moone To shew that Isis doth the Moone portend Like as Osyris signifies the Sunne For that they both like race in equall iustice runne The Championesse them greeting as she could Was thence by them into the Temple led Whose goodly building when she did behould Borne vppon stately pillours all dispred With shining gold and arched ouer hed She wondred at the workemans passing skill Whose like before she neuer saw nor red And thereuppon long while stood gazing still But thought that she thereon could neuer gaze her fill Thence forth vnto the Idoll they her brought The which was framed all of siluer fine So well as could with cunning hand be wrought And clothed all in garments made of line Hemd all about with fringe of siluer twine Vppon her head she wore a Crowne of gold To shew that she had powre in things diuine And at her feete a Crocodile was rold That with her wreathed taile her middle did enfold One foote was set vppon the Crocodile And on the ground the other fast did stand So meaning to suppresse both forged guile And open force and in her other hand She stretched forth a long white sclender wand Such was the Goddesse whom when Britomart Had long beheld her selfe vppon the land She did prostrate and with right humble hart Vnto her selfe her silent prayers did impart To which the Idoll as it were inclining Her wand did moue with amiable looke By outward shew her inward sence desining Who well perceiuing how her wand she shooke It as a token of good fortune tooke By this the day with dampe was ouercast And ioyous light the house of Ioue forsooke Which when she saw her helmet she vnlaste And by the altars side her selfe to slumber plaste For other beds the Priests there vsed none But on their mother Earths deare lap did lie And bake their sides vppon the cold hard stone T'enure them selues to sufferaunce thereby And proud rebellious flesh to mortify For by the vow of their religion They tied were to stedfast chastity And continence of life that all forgon They mote the better tend to their deuotion Therefore they mote not taste of fleshly food Ne feed on ought the which doth bloud containe Ne drinke of wine for wine they say is blood Euen the bloud of Gyants which were slaine By thundring Ioue in the Phlegrean plaine For which the earth as they the story tell Wroth with the Gods which to perpetuall paine Had damn'd her sonnes which gainst them did rebell With inward griefe and malice did against them swell And of their vitall bloud the which was shed Into her pregnant bosome forth she brought The fruitfull vine whose liquor blouddy red Hauing the mindes of men with fury fraught Mote in them stirre vp old rebellious thought To make new warre against the Gods againe Such is the powre of that same fruit that nought The fell contagion may thereof restraine Ne within reasons rule her madding mood containe There did the warlike Maide her selfe repose Vnder the wings of Isis all that night And with sweete rest her heauy eyes did close After that long daies toile and weary plight Where whilest her earthly parts with soft delight Of sencelesse sleepe did deeply drowned lie There did appeare vnto her heauenly spright A wondrous vision which did close implie The course of all her fortune and posteritie Her seem ' das she was doing sacrifize To Isis deckt with Mitre on her hed And linnen stole after those Priestes guize All sodainely she saw transfigured Her linnen stole to robe of scarlet red And Moone-like Mitre to a Crowne of gold That euen she her selfe much wondered At such a chaunge and ioyed to behold Her selfe adorn'd with gems and iewels manifold And in the midst of her felicity An
might That all my senses were bereaued quight Then brought she me into this desert waste And by my wretched louers side me pight Where now enclosd in wooden wals full faste Banisht from liuing wights our wearie dayes we waste But how long time said then the Elfin knight Are you in this misformed house to dwell We may not chaunge quoth he this euil plight Till we be bathed in a lining well That is the terme prescribed by the spell O how said he mote I that well out find That may restore you to your wonted well Time and suffised fates to former kynd Shall vs restore none else from hence may vs vnbynd The false Duessa now Fidessa hight Heard how in vaine Fradubio did lament And knew well all was true But the good knight Full of sad feare and ghastly dreriment When all this speech the liuing tree had spent The bleeding bough did thrust into the ground That from the bloud he might be innocent And with fresh clay did close the wooden wound Then turning to his Lady dead with feare her found Her seeming dead he found with feigned feare As all vnweeting of that well she knew And paynd himselfe with busie care to reare Her out of carelesse swowne Her eylids blew And dimmed sight with pale and deadly hew At last she vp gan lift with trembling cheare Her vp he tooke too simple and too trew And oft her kist At length all passed feare He set her on her steede and forward forth did beare Cant. III. Forsaken Truth long seekes her loue And makes the Lyon mylde Marres blind Deuotions mart and fals In hand of leachour vylde NOught is there vnder heau'ns wide hollownesse That moues more deare compassion of mind Then beautie brought t'vnworthy wretchednesse Through enuies snares or fortunes freakes vnkind I whether lately through her brightnesse blind Or through alleageance and fast fealtie Which I do owe vnto all woman kind Feele my heart perst with so great agonie When such I see that all for pittie I could die And now it is empassioned so deepe For fairest Vnaes sake of whom I sing That my fraile eyes these lines with teares do steepe To thinke how she through guilefull handeling Though true as touch though daughter of a king Though faire as euer liuing wight was faire Though nor in word nor deede ill meriting Is from her knight diuorced in despaire And her due loues deriu'd to that vile witches share Yet she most faithfull Ladie all this while Forsaken wofull solitarie mayd Farre from all peoples prease as in exile In wildernesse and wastfull deserts strayd To seeke her knight who subtilly betrayd Through that late vision which th' Enchaunter wrought Had her abandond She of nought affrayd Through woods and wastnesse wide him daily sought Yet wished tydings none of him vnto her brought One day nigh wearie of the yrkesome way From her vnhastie beast she did alight And on the grasse her daintie limbes did lay In secret shadow farre from all mens sight From her faire head her fillet she vndight And laid her stole aside Her angels face As the great eye of heauen shyned bright And made a sunshine in the shadie place Did neuer mortall eye behold such heauenly grace It fortuned out of the thickest wood A ramping Lyon rushed suddainly Hunting full greedie after saluage blood Soone as the royall virgin he did spy With gaping mouth at her ran greedily To haue attonce deuour'd her tender corse But to the pray when as he drew more ny His bloudie rage asswaged with remorse And with the sight amazd forgat his furious forse In stead thereof he kist her wearie feet And lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong As he her wronged innocence did weet O how can beautie maister the most strong And simple truth subdue auenging wrong Whose yeelded pride and proud submission Still dreading death when she had marked long Her hart gan melt in great compassion And drizling teares did shed for pure affection The Lyon Lord of euery beast in field Quoth she his princely puissance doth abate And mightie proud to humble weake does yield Forgetfull of the hungry rage which late Him prickt in pittie of my sad estate But he my Lyon and my noble Lord How does he find in cruell hart to hate Her that him lou'd and euer most adord As the God of my life why hath he me abhord Redounding teares did choke th' end of her plaint Which softly ecchoed from the neighbour wood And sad to see her sorrowfull constraint The kingly beast vpon her gazing stood With pittie calmd downe fell his angry mood At last in close hart shutting vp her paine Arose the virgin borne of heauenly brood And to her snowy Palfrey got againe To seeke her strayed Champion if she might attaine The Lyon would not leaue her desolate But with her went along as a strong gard Of her chast person and a faithfull mate Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard Still when she slept he kept both watch and ward And when she wakt he waited diligent With humble seruice to her will prepard From her faire eyes he tooke commaundement And euer by her lookes conceiued her intent Long she thus traueiled through deserts wyde By which she thought her wandring knight shold pas Yet neuer shew of liuing wight espyde Till that at length she found the troden gras In which the tract of peoples footing was Vnder the steepe foot of a mountaine hore The same she followes till at last she has A damzell spyde slow footing her before That on her shoulders sad a pot of water bore To Whom approching she to her gan call To weet if dwelling place were nigh at hand But the rude wench her answer'd nought at all She could not heare nor speake nor vnderstand Till seeing by her side the Lyon stand With suddaine feare her pitcher downe she threw And fled away for neuer in that land Face of faire Ladie she before did vew And that dread Lyons looke her cast in deadly hew Full fast she fled ne euer lookt behynd As if her life vpon the wager lay And home she came whereas her mother blynd Sate in eternall night nought could she say But suddaine catching hold did her dismay With quaking hands and other signes of feare Who full of ghastly fright and cold affray Gan shut the dore By this arriued there Dame Vna wearie Dame and entrance did requere Which when none yeelded her vnruly Page With his rude clawes the wicket open rent And let her in where of his cruell rage Nigh dead with feare and faint astonishment She found them both in darkesome corner pent Where that old woman day and night did pray Vpon her beades deuoutly penitent Nine hundred Pater nosters euery day And thrise nine hundred Aues she was wont to say And to augment her painefull pennance more Thrise euery weeke in ashes she did sit And next her wrinkled skin rough sackcloth wore And thrise three
Yet goodly court he made still to his Dame Pourd out in loosnesse on the grassy grownd Both carelesse of his health and of his fame Till at the last he heard a dreadfull sownd Which through the wood loud bellowing did rebownd That all the earth for terrour seemd to shake And trees did tremble Th'Elfe therewith astownd Vpstarted lightly from his looser make And his vnready weapons gan in hand to take But ere he could his armour on him dight Or get his shield his monstrous enimy With sturdie steps came stalking in his sight An hideous Geant horrible and hye That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye The ground eke groned vnder him for dreed His liuing like saw neuer liuing eye Ne durst behold his stature did exceed The hight of three the tallest sonnes of mortall seed The greatest Earth his vncouth mother was And blustring AEolus his boasted sire Who with his breath which through the world dot◠pas Her hollow womb did secretly inspire And fild her hidden caues with stormie yre That she conceiu'd and trebling the dew time In which the wombes of women do expire Brought forth this monstrous masse of earthly slime Puft vp with emptie wind and fild with sinfull crime So growen great through arrogant delight Of th' high descent whereof he was yborne And through presumption of his matchlesse might All other powres and knighthood he did scorne Such now he marcheth to this man forlorne And left to losse his stalking steps are stayde Vpon a snaggy Oke which he had torne Out of his mothers bowelles and it made His mortall mace wherewith his foemen he dismayde That when the knight he spide he gan aduance With huge force and insupportable mayne And towardes him with dreadfull fury praunce Who haplesse and eke hopelesse all in vaine Did to him pace sad battaile to darrayne Disarmd disgrast and inwardly dismayde And eke so faint in euery ioynt and vaine Through that fraile foūtaine which him feeble made That scarsely could he weeld his bootlesse single blade The Geaunt strooke so maynly mercilesse That could haue ouerthrowne a stony towre And were not heauenly grace that him did blesse He had beene pouldred all as thin as flowre But he was wary of that deadly stowre And lightly lept from vnderneath the blow Yet so exceeding was the villeins powre That with the wind it did him ouerthrow And all his sences stound that still he lay full low As when that diuelish yron Engin wrought In deepest Hell and framd by Furies skill With windy Nitre and quick Sulphur fraught And ramd with bullet round ordaind to kill Conceiueth fire the heauens it doth fill With thundring noyse and all the ayre doth choke That none can breath nor see nor heare at will Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smoke That th' onely breath him daunts who hath escapt the stroke So daunted when the Geaunt saw the knight His heauie hand he heaued vp on hye And him to dust thought to haue battred quight Vntill Duessa loud to him gan crye O great Orgoglio greatest vnder skye O hold thy mortall hand for Ladies sake Hold for my sake and do him not to dye But vanquisht thine eternall bondslaue make And me thy worthy meed vnto thy Leman take He hearkned and did stay from further harmes To gayne so goodly guerdon as she spake So willingly she came into his armes Who her as willingly to grace did take And was possessed of his new found make Then vp he tooke the slombred sencelesse corse And ere he could out of his swowne awake Him to his castle brought with hastie forse And in a Dongeon deepe him threw without remorse From that day forth Duessa was his deare And highly honourd in his haughtie eye He gaue her gold and purple pall to weare And triple crowne set on her head full hye And her endowd with royall maiestye Then for to make her dreaded more of men And peoples harts with awfull terrour tye A monstrous beast ybred in filthy fen He chose which he had kept long time in darksome den Such one it was as that renowmed Snake Which great Alcides in Stremona slew Long fostred in the filth of Lerna lake Whose many heads out budding euer new Did breed him endlesse labour to subdew But this same Monster much more vgly was For seuen great heads out of his body grew An yron brest and backe of scaly bras And all embrewd in bloud his eyes did shine as glas His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length That to the house of heauenly gods it raught And with extorted powre and borrow'd strength The euer-burning lamps from thence it brought And prowdly threw to ground as things of nought And vnderneath his filthy feet did tread The sacred things and holy heasts foretaught Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuenfoldhead He set the false Duessa for more aw and dread The wofull Dwarfe which saw his maisters fall Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed And valiant knight become a caytiue thrall When all was past tooke vp his forlorne weed His mightie armour missing most at need His siluer shield now idle maisterlesse His poynant speare that many made to bleed The ruefull moniments of heauinesse And with them all departes to tell his great distresse He had not trauaild long when on the way He wofull Ladie wofull Vna met Fast flying from the Paynims greedy pray Whilest Satyrane him from pursuit did let Who when her eyes she on the Dwarfe had set And saw the signes that deadly tydings spake She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret And liuely breath her sad brest did forsake Yet might her pitteous hart be seene to pant and quake The messenger of so vnhappie newes Would faine haue dyde dead was his hart within Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes At last recouering hart he does begin To rub her temples and to chause her chin And euery tender part does tosse and turne So hardly he the flitted life does win Vnto her natiue prison to retourne Then gins her grieued ghost thus to lament and mourne Ye dreary instruments of dolefull sight That doe this deadly spectacle behold Why do ye lenger feed on loathed light Or liking find to gaze on earthly mould Sith cruell fates the carefull threeds vnfould The which my life and loue together tyde Now let the stony dart of senselesse cold Perce to my hart and pas through euery side And let eternall night so sad sight fro me hide O lightsome day the lampe of highest Ioue First made by him mens wandring wayes to guyde When darkenesse he in deepest dongeon droue Henceforth thy hated face for euer hyde And shut vp heauens windowes shyning wyde For earthly sight can nought but sorrow breed And late repentance which shall long abyde Mine eyes no more on vanitie shall feed But seeled vp with death shall haue their deadly meed Then downe againe she fell vnto the ground But he her quickly reared vp againe Thrise
did she sinke 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
might That stop out of the way to ouerthroe Scorning the let of so vnequall foe But nathemore would that courageous swayne To her yeeld passage gainst his Lord to goe But with outrageous strokes did him restraine And with his bodie bard the way atwixt them twaine Then tooke the angrie witch her golden cup Which still she bore replete with magick artes Death and despeyre did many thereof sup And secret poyson through their inner parts Th' eternall bale of heauie wounded harts Which after charmes and some enchauntments said She lightly sprinkled on his weaker parts Therewith his sturdie courage soone was quayd And all his senses were with suddeine dread dismayd So downe he fell before the cruell beast Who on his necke his bloudie clawes did seize That life night crusht out of his panting brest No powre he had to stirre nor will to rize That when the carefull knight gan well auise He lightly left the foe with whom he fought And to the beast gan turne his enterprise For wondrous anguish in his hart it wrought To see his loued Squire into such thraldome brought And high aduauncing his bloud-thirstie blade Stroke one of those deformed heads so sore That of his puissance proud ensample made His monstrous scalpe downe to his teeth it tore And that misformed shape mis-shaped more A sea of bloud gusht from the gaping wound That her gay garments staynd with filthy gore And ouerflowed all the field around That ouer shoes in bloud he waded on the ground Thereat he roared for exceeding paine That to haue heard great horror would haue bred And scourging th' emptie ayre with his long traine Through great impatience of his grieued hed His gorgeous ryder from her loftie sted Would haue cast downe and trod in durtie myre Had not the Gyant soone her succoured Who all enrag'd with smart and franticke yre Came hurtling in full fierce and forst the knight retyre The force which wont in two to be disperst In one alone left hand he now vnites Which is through rage more strong then both were erst With which his hideous club aloft he dites And at his foe with furious rigour smites That strongest Oake might seeme to ouerthrow The stroke vpon his shield so heauie lites That to the ground it doubleth him full low What mortall wight could euer beare so monstrous blow And in his fall his shield that couered was Did loose his vele by chaunce and open flew The light whereof that heauens light did pas Such blazing brightnesse through the aier threw That eye mote not the same endure to vew Which when the Gyaunt spyde with staring eye He downe let fall his arme and soft withdrew His weapon huge that heaued was on hye For to haue slaine the man that on the ground did lye And eke the fruitfull-headed beast amaz'd At flashing beames of that sunshiny shield Became starke blind and all his senses daz'd That downe he tumbled on the durtie field And seem'd himselfe as conquered to yield Whom when his maistresse proud perceiu'd to fall Whiles yet his feeble feet for faintnesse reeld Vnto the Gyant loudly she gan call O helpe Orgoglio helpe or else we perish all At her so pitteous cry was much amoou'd Her champion stout and for to ayde his frend Againe his wonted angry weapon proou'd But all in vaine for he has read his end In that bright shield and all their forces spend Themselues in vaine for since that glauncing sight He hath no powre to hurt nor to defend As where th' Almighties lightning brond does light It dimmes the dazed eyen and daunts the senses quight Whom when the Prince to battell new addrest And threatning high his dreadfull stroke did see His sparkling blade about his head he blest And smote off quite his right leg by the knee That downe he tombled as an aged tree High growing on the top of rocky clift Whose hartstrings with keene steele nigh hewen be The mightie trunck halfe rent with ragged rift Doth roll adowne the rocks and fall with fearefull drift Or as a Castle reared high and round By subtile engins and malitious slight Is vndermined from the lowest ground And her foundation forst and feebled quight At last downe falles and with her heaped hight Her hastie ruine does more heauie make And yields it selfe vnto the victours might Such was this Gyaunts fall that seemd to shake The stedfast globe of earth as it for feare did quake The knight then lightly leaping to the pray With mortall steele him smot againe so sore That headlesse his vnweldy bodie lay All wallowd in his owne fowle bloudy gore Which flowed from his wounds in wondrous store But soone as breath out of his breast did pas That huge great body which the Gyaunt bore Was vanisht quite and of that monstrous mas Was nothing left but like an emptie bladder was Whose grieuous fall when false Duessa spide Her golden cup she cast vnto the ground And crowned mitre rudely threw aside Such percing griefe her stubborne hart did wound That she could not endure that dolefull stound But leauing all behind her fled away The light-foot Squire her quickly turnd around And by hard meanes enforcing her to stay â—…o brought vnto his Lord as his deserued pray The royall Virgin which beheld from farre In pensiue plight and sad perplexitie The whole atchieuement of this doubtfull warre Came running fast to greet his victorie With sober gladnesse and myld modestie And with sweet ioyous cheare him thus bespake Faire braunch of noblesse flowre of cheualrie That with your worth the world amazed make How shall I quite the paines ye suffer for my sake And you fresh bud of vertue springing fast Whom these sad eyes saw nigh vnto deaths dore What hath poore Virgin for such perill past Wherewith you to reward Accept therefore My simple selfe and seruice euermore And he that high does sit and all things see With equall eyes their merites to restore Behold what ye this day haue done for mee And what I cannot quite requite with vsuree But sith the heauens and your faire handeling Haue made you maister of the field this day Your fortune maister eke with gouerning And well begun end all so well I pray Ne let that wicked woman scape away For she it is that did my Lord bethrall My dearest Lord and deepe in dongeon lay Where he his better dayes hath wasted all O heare how piteous he to you for ayd does call Forthwith he gaue in charge vnto his Squire That scarlot whore to keepen carefully Whiles he himselfe with greedie great desire Into the Castle entred forcibly Where liuing creature none he did espye Then gan he lowdly through the house to call But no man car'd to answere to his crye There raignd a solemne silence ouer all Nor voice was heard nor wight was seene in bowre or hall At last with creeping crooked pace forth came And old old man with beard as white as snow That on a staffe
there care in heauen and is there loue In heauenly spirits to these creatures bace That may compassion of their euils moue There is else much more wretched were the cace Of men then beasts But ô th'exceeding grace Of highest God that loues his creatures so And all his workes with mercy doth embrace That blessed Angels he sends to and fro To serue to wicked man to serue his wicked foe How oft do they their siluer bowers leaue To come to succour vs that succour want How oft do they with golden pineons cleaue The flitting skyes like flying Pursuiuant Against foule feends to aide vs millitant They for vs fight they watch and dewly ward And their bright Squadrons round about vs plant And all for loue and nothing for reward O why should heauenly God to men haue such regard During the while that Guyon did abide In Mamons house the Palmer whom whyleare That wanton Mayd of passage had denide By further search had passage found elsewhere And being on his way approched neare Where Guyon lay in traunce when suddenly He heard a voice that called loud and cleare Come hither come hither ô come hastily That all the fields resounded with the ruefull cry The Palmer lent his eare vnto the noyce To weet who called so importunely Againe he heard a more efforced voyce That bad him come in haste He by and by His feeble feet directed to the cry Which to that shadie delue him brought at last Where Mammon earst did sunne his threasury There the good Guyon he found slumbring fast In senselesse dreame which sight at first him sore aghast Beside his head there sate a faire young man Of wondrous beautie and of freshest yeares Whose tender bud to blossome new began And flourish faire aboue his equall peares His snowy front curled with golden heares Like Phoebus face adornd with sunny rayes Diuinely shone and two sharpe winged sheares Decked with diuerse plumes like painted Iayes Were fixed at his backe to cut his ayerie wayes Like as Cupido on Idaean hill When hauing laid his cruell bow away And mortall arrowes wherewith he doth fill The world with murdrous spoiles and bloudie pray With his faire mother he him dights to play And with his goodly sisters Graces three The Goddesse pleased with his wanton play Suffers her selfe through sleepe beguild to bee The whiles the other Ladies mind their merry glee Whom when the Palmer saw abasht he was Through feare and wonder that he nought could say Till him the child bespoke Long lackt alas Hath bene thy faithfull aide in hard assay Whiles deadly fit thy pupill doth dismay Behold this heauie sight thou reuerend Sire But dread of death and dolour doe away For life ere long shall to her home retire And he that breathlesse seemes shal corage bold respire The charge which God doth vnto me arret Of his deare safetie I to thee commend Yet will I not forgoe ne yet forget The care thereof my selfe vnto the end But euermore him succour and defend Against his foe and mine watch thou I pray For euill is at hand him to offend So hauing said eftsoones he gan display His painted nimble wings and vanisht quite away The Palmer seeing his left empty place And his slow eyes beguiled of their sight Woxe fore affraid and standing still a space Gaz'd after him as fowle escapt by flight At last him turning to his charge behight With trembling hand his troubled pulse gan try Where finding life not yet dislodged quight He much reioyst and courd it tenderly As chicken newly hatcht from dreaded destiny At last he spide where towards him did pace Two Paynim knights all armd as bright as skie And them beside an aged Sire did trace And farre before a light-foot Page did flie That breathed strife and troublous enmitie Those were the two sonnes of Acrates old Who meeting earst with Archimago slie Foreby that idle strond of him were told That he which earst them combatted was Guyon bold Which to auenge on him they dearely vowd Where euer that on ground they mote him fynd False Archimage prouokt their courage prowd And stryfull Atin in their stubborne mynd Coles of contention and whot vengeance tynd Now bene they come whereas the Palmer sate Keeping that slombred corse to him assynd Well knew they both his person sith of late With him in bloudie armes they rashly did debate Whom when Pyrrhochles saw inflam'd with rage That sire he soule bespake Thou dotard vile That with thy brutenesse shendst thy comely age Abandone soone I read the caitiue spoile Of that same outcast carkasse that erewhile Made it selfe famous through false trechery And crownd his coward crest with knightly stile Loe where he now inglorious doth lye To proue he liued ill that did thus foully dye To whom the Palmer fearelesse answered Certes Sir knight ye bene too much to blame Thus for to blot the honour of the dead And with foule cowardize his carkasse shame Whose liuing hands immortalizd his name Vile is the vengeance on the ashes cold And enuie base to barke at sleeping fame Was neuer wight that treason of him told Your selfe his prowesse prou'd found him fiers bold Then said Cymochles Palmer thou doest dote Ne canst of prowesse ne of knighthood deeme Saue as thou seest or hearst But well I wote That of his puissance tryall made extreeme Yet gold all is not that doth golden seeme Ne all good knights that shake well speare and shield The worth of all men by their end esteeme And then due praise or due reproch them yield Bad therefore I him deeme that thus lies dead on field Good or bad gan his brother fierce reply What doe I recke sith that he dyde entire Or what doth his bad death now satisfy The greedy hunger of reuenging ire Sith wrathfull hand wrought not her owne desire Yet since no way is left to wreake my spight I will him reaue of armes the victors hire And of that shield more worthy of good knight For why should a dead dog be deckt in armour bright Faire Sir said then the Palmer suppliaunt For knighthoods loue do not so foule a deed Ne blame your honour with so shamefull vaunt Of vile reuenge To spoile the dead of weed Is sacrilege and doth all sinnes exceed But leaue these relicks of his liuing might To decke his herce and trap his tomb-blacke steed What herce or steede said he should he haue dight But be entombed in the rauen or the kight With that rude hand vpon his shield he laid And th' other brother gan his helme vnlace Both fiercely bent to haue him disaraid Till that they spide where towards them did pace An armed knight of bold and bounteous grace Whose squire bore after him an heben launce And couerd shield Well kend him so farre space Th' enchaunter by his armes and amenaunce When vnder him he saw his Lybian steed to praunce And to those brethren said Rise rise by liue And vnto battell
table for eternall moniment Of thy great grace and my great ieopardee Great Neptune I auow to hallow vnto thee Then sighing softly sore and inly deepe She shut vp all her plaint in priuy griefe For her great courage would not let her weepe Till that old Glauce gan with sharpe repriefe Her to restraine and giue her good reliefe Through hope of those which Merlin had her told Should of her name and nation be chiefe And fetch their being from the sacred mould Of her immortall wombe to be in heauen enrold Thus as she her recomforted she spyde Where farre away one all in armour bright With hastie gallop towards her did ryde Her dolour soone she ceast and on her dight Her Helmet to her Courser mounting light Her former sorrow into suddein wrath Both coosen passions of distroubled spright Conuerting forth she beates the dustie path Loue and despight attonce her courage kindled hath As when a foggy mist hath ouercast The face of heauen and the cleare aire engrost The world in darkenesse dwels till that at last The watry Southwinde from the seabord cost Vpblowing doth disperse the vapour lo'st And poures it selfe forth in a stormy showre So the faire Britomart hauing disclo'st Her clowdy care into a wrathfull stowre The mist of griefe dissolu'd into vengeance powre Eftsoones her goodly shield addressing faire That mortall speare she in her hand did take And vnto battell did her selfe prepaire The knight approching sternely her bespake Sir knight that doest thy voyage rashly make By this forbidden way in my despight Ne doest by others death ensample take I read thee soone retyre whiles thou hast might Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat She shortly thus Fly they that need to fly Words fearen babes I meane not thee entreat To passe but maugre thee will passe or dy Ne lenger stayd for th' other to reply But with sharpe speares the rest made dearly knowne Srongly the straunge knight ran and sturdily Strooke her full on the brest that made her downe Decline her head touch her crouper with her crowne But she againe him in the shield did smite With so fierce furie and great puissaunce That through his threesquare scuchin percing quite And through his mayled hauberque by mischaunce The wicked steele through his left side did glaunce Him so transfixed she before her bore Beyond his croupe the length of all her launce Till sadly soucing on the sandie shore He tombled on an heape and wallowd in his gore Like as the sacred Oxe that carelesse stands With gilden hornes and flowry girlonds crownd Proud of his dying honor and deare bands Whiles th' altars fume with frankincense arownd All suddenly with mortall stroke astownd Doth groueling fall and with his streaming gore Distaines the pillours and the holy grownd And the faire flowres that decked him afore So fell proud Marinell vpon the pretious shore The martiall Mayd stayd not him to lament But forward rode and kept her readie way Along the strond which as she ouer-went She saw bestrowed all with rich aray Of pearles and pretious stones of great assay And all the grauell mixt with golden owre Whereat she wondred much but would not stay For gold or perles or pretious stones an howre But them despised all for all was in her powre Whiles thus he lay in deadly stonishment Tydings hereof came to his mothers eare His mother was the blacke-browd Cymoent The daughter of great Nereus which did beare This warlike sonne vnto an earthly peare The famous Dumarin who on a day Finding the Nymph a sleepe in secret wheare As he by chaunce did wander that same way Was taken with her loue and by her closely lay There he this knight of her begot whom borne She of his father Marinell did name And in a rocky caue as wight forlorne Long time she fostred vp till he became A mightie man at armes and mickle fame Did get through great aduentures by him donne For neuer man he suffred by that same Rich strond to trauell whereas he did wonne But that he must do battell with the Sea-nymphes sonne An hundred knights of honorable name He had subdew'd and them his vassals made That through all Farie lond his noble fame Now blazed was and feare did all inuade That none durst passen through that perilous glade And to aduance his name and glorie more Her Sea-god syre she dearely did perswade T'endow her sonne with threasure and rich store Boue all the sonnes that were of earthly wombes ybore The God did graunt his daughters deare demaund To doen his Nephew in all riches flow Eftsoones his heaped waues he did commaund Out of their hollow bosome forth to throw All the huge threasure which the sea below Had in his greedie gulfe deuoured deepe And him enriched through the ouerthrow And wreckes of many wretches which did weepe And often waile their wealth which he from them did keepe Shortly vpon that shore there heaped was Exceeding riches and all pretious things The spoyle of all the world that it did pas The wealth of th' East and pompe of Persian kings Gold amber yuorie perles owches rings And all that else was pretious and deare The sea vnto him voluntary brings That shortly he a great Lord did appeare As was in all the lond of Faery or elsewheare Thereto he was a doughtie dreaded knight Tryde often to the scath of many deare That none in equall armes him matchen might The which his mother seeing gan to feare Least his too haughtie hardines might reare Some hard mishap in hazard of his life For thy she oft him counseld to forbeare The bloudie battell and to stirre vp strife But after all his warre to rest his wearie knife And for his more assurance she inquir'd One day of Proteus by his mightie spell For Proteus was with prophecie inspir'd Her deare sonnes destinie to her to tell And the sad end of her sweet Marinell Who through foresight of his eternall skill Bad her from womankind to keepe him well For of a woman he should haue much ill A virgin strange and stout him should dismay or kill For thy she gaue him warning euery day The loue of women not to entertaine A lesson too too hard for liuing clay From loue in course of nature to refraine Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine And euer from faire Ladies loue did fly Yet many Ladies faire did oft complaine That they for loue of him would algates dy Dy who so list for him he was loues enimy But ah who can deceiue his destiny Or weene by warning to auoyd his fate That when he sleepes in most security And safest seemes him soonest doth amate And findeth dew effect or soone or late So feeble is the powre of fleshly arme His mother bad him womens loue to hate For she of womans force did feare no harme So weening to haue arm'd him she did quite disarme This
What mister wight that was and whence deriued That in so straunge disguizement there did maske And by what accident she there arriued But she as one nigh of her wits depriued With nought but ghastly lookes him answered Like to a ghost that lately is reuiued From Stygian shores where late it wandered So both at her and each at other wondered But the faire Virgin was so meeke and mild That she to them vouchsafed to embace Her goodly port and to their senses vild Her gentle speach applide that in short space She grew familiare in that desert place During which time the Chorle through her so kind And curteise vse conceiu'd affection bace And cast to loue her in his brutish mind No loue but brutish lust that was so beastly tind Closely the wicked flame his bowels brent And shortly grew into outrageous fire Yet had he not the hart nor hardiment As vnto her to vtter his desire His caytiue thought durst not so high aspire But with soft sighes and louely semblaunces He ween'd that his affection entire She should aread many resemblaunces To her he made and many kind remembraunces Oft from the forrest wildings he did bring Whose sides empurpled were with smiling red And oft young birds which he had taught to sing His mistresse prayses sweetly caroled Girlonds of flowres sometimes for her faire hed He fine would dight sometimes the squirell wild He brought to her in bands as conquered To be her thrall his fellow seruant vild All which she of him tooke with countenance meeke and mild But past awhile when she fit season saw To leaue that desert mansion she cast In secret wize her selfe thence to withdraw For feare of mischiefe which she did forecast Might be the witch or that her sonne compast Her wearie Palfrey closely as she might Now well recouered after long repast In his proud furnitures she freshly dight His late miswandred wayes now to remeasure right And earely ere the dawning day appeard She forth issewed and on her iourney went She went in perill of each noyse affeard And of each shade that did it selfe present For still she feared to be ouerhent Of that vile hag or her vnciuile sonne Who when too late awaking well they kent That their faire guest was gone they both begonne To make exceeding mone as they had bene vndonne But that lewd louer did the most lament For her depart that euer man did heare He knockt his brest with desperate intent And scratcht his face and with his teeth did teare His rugged flesh and rent his ragged heare That his sad mother seeing his sore plight Was greatly woe begon and gan to feare Least his fraile senses were emperisht quight And loue to frenzy turnd sith loue is franticke hight All wayes she sought him to restore to plight With herbs with charms with coūsell with teares But tears nor charms nor herbs nor counsell might Asswage the fury which his entrails teares So strong is passion that no reason heares Tho when all other helpes she saw to faile She turnd her selfe backe to her wicked leares And by her deuilish arts thought to preuaile To bring her backe againe or worke her finall bale Eftsoones out of her hidden caue she cald An hideous beast of horrible aspect That could the stoutest courage haue appald Monstrous mishapt and all his backe was spect With thousand spots of colours queint elect Thereto so swift that it all beasts did pas Like neuer yet did liuing eye detect But likest it to an Hyena was That feeds on womens flesh as others feede on gras It forth she cald and gaue it streight in charge Through thicke and thin her to pursew apace Ne once to stay to rest or breath at large Till her he had attaind and brought in place Or quite deuourd her beauties scornefull grace The Monster swift as word that from her went Went forth in hast and did her footing trace So sure and swiftly through his perfect sent And passing speede that shortly he her ouerhent Whom when the fearefull Damzell nigh espide No need to bid her fast away to flie That vgly shape so sore her terrifide That it she shund no lesse then dread to die And her flit Palfrey did so well apply His nimble feet to her conceiued feare That whilest his breath did strength to him supply From perill free he her away did beare But when his force gan faile his pace gan wex areare Which whenas she perceiu'd she was dismayd At that same last extremitie full sore And of her safetie greatly grew afrayd And now she gan approch to the sea shore As it befell that she could flie no more But yield her selfe to spoile of greedinesse Lightly she leaped as a wight forlore From her dull horse in desperate distresse And to her feet betooke her doubtfull sickernesse Not halfe so fast the wicked Myrrha fled From dread of her reuenging fathers hond Nor halfe so fast to saue her maidenhed Fled fearefull Daphne on th' AEgaean strond As Florimell fled from that Monster yond To reach the sea ere she of him were raught For in the sea to drowne her selfe she fond Rather then of the tyrant to be caught Thereto feare gaue her wings and neede her courage taught It fortuned high God did so ordaine As she arriued on the roring shore In minde to leape into the mighty maine A little boate lay houing her before In which there slept a fisher old and pore The whiles his nets were drying on the sand Into the same she leapt and with the ore Did thrust the shallop from the floting strand So safetie found at sea which she found not at land The Monster ready on the pray to sease Was of his forward hope deceiued quight Ne durst assay to wade the perlous seas But greedily long gaping at the sight At last in vaine was forst to turne his flight And tell the idle tidings to his Dame Yet to auenge his deuilish despight He set vpon her Palfrey tired lame And slew him cruelly ere any reskew came And after hauing him embowelled To fill his bellish gorge it chaunst a knight To passe that way as forth he trauelled It was a goodly Swaine and of great might As euer man that bloudy field did fight But in vaine sheows that wont yong knights bewitch And courtly seruices tooke no delight But rather ioyd to be then seemen fich For both to be and seeme to him was labour lich It was to weete the good Sir Satyrane That raungd abroad to seeke aduentures wilde As was his wont in forrest and in plaine He was all armd in rugged steele vnfilde As in the smoky forge it was compilde And in his Scutchin bore a Satyres hed He comming present where the Monster vilde Vpon that milke-white Palfreyes carkas fed Vnto his reskew ran and greedily him sped There well perceiu'd he that it was the horse Whereon faire Florimell was wont to ride That of that feend was rent without remorse
to entertaine The maisters of her art there was she faine To call them all in order to her ayde And them coniure vpon eternall paine To counsell her so carefully dismayd How she might heale her sonne whose senses were decayd By their aduise and her owne wicked wit She there deuiz'd a wondrous worke to frame Whose like on earth was neuer framed yit That euen Nature selfe enuide the same And grudg'd to see the counterfet should shame The thing it selfe In hand she boldly tooke To make another like the former Dame Another Florimell in shape and looke So liuely and so like that many it mistooke The substance whereof she the bodie made Was purest snow in massie mould congeald Which she had gathered in a shadie glade Of the Riphoean hils to her reueald By errant Sprights but from all men conceald The same she tempred with fine Mercury And virgin wex that neuer yet was seald And mingled them with perfect vermily That like a liuely sanguine it seem'd to the eye In stead of eyes two burning lampes she set In siluer sockets shyning like the skyes And a quicke mouing Spirit did arret To stirre and roll them like a womans eyes In stead of yellow lockes she did deuise With golden wyre to weaue her curled head Yet golden wyre was not so yellow thrise As Florimells faire haire and in the stead Of life she put a Spright to rule the carkasse dead A wicked Sprightyfraught with fawning guile And faire resemblance aboue all the rest Which with the Prince of Darknesse fell lomewhile From heauens blisse and euerlasting rest Him needed not instruct which way were best Himselfe to fashion likest Florimell Ne how to speake ne how to vse his gest For he in counterfeisance did excell And all the wyles of wemens wits knew passing well Him shaped thus she deckt in garments gay Which Florimell had left behind her late That who so then her saw would surely say It was her selfe whom it did imitate Or fairer then her selfe if ought algate Might fairer be And then she forth her brought Vnto her sonne that lay in feeble state Who seeing her gan streight vpstart and thought She was the Lady selfe who he so long had sought Tho fast her clipping twixt his armes twaine Extremely ioyed in so happie sight And soone forgot his former sickly paine But she the more to seeme such as she hight Coyly rebutted his embracement light Yet still with gentle countenant retained Enough to hold a foole in vaine delight Him long she so with shadowes entertained As her Creatresse had in charge to her ordained Till on a day as he disposed was To walke the woods with that his Idole faire Her to disport and idle time to pas In th' open freshnesse of the gentle aire A knight that way there chaunced to repaire Yet knight was not but a boastfull swaine That deedes of armes had euer in despaire Proud Braggadocchio that in vaunting vaine His glory did repose and credit did maintaine He seeing with that Chorle so faire a wight Decked with many a costly ornament Much merueiled thereat as well he might And thought that match a fowled disparagement His bloudie speare eftsoones he boldly bent Against the silly clowne who dead through feare Fell streight to ground in great astonishment Villein said he this Ladie is my deare Dy if thou it gainesay I will away her beare The fearefull Chorle durst not gainesay nor dooe But trembling stood and yielded him the pray Who finding litle leasure her to wooe On Tromparts steed her mounted without stay And without reskew led her quite away Proud man himselfe then Braggadocchio deemed And next to none after that happie day Being possessed of that spoyle which seemed The fairest wight on ground and most of men esteemed But when he saw himselfe free from poursute He gan make gentle purpose to his Dame With termes of loue and lewdnesse dissolute For he could well his glozing speaches frame To such vaine vses that him best became But she thereto would lend but light regard As seeming sory that she euer came Into his powre that vsed her so hard To reaue her honor which she more then life prefard Thus as they two of kindnesse treated long There them by chaunce encountred on the way An armed knight vpon a courser strong Whose trampling feet vpon the hollow lay Seemed to thunder and did nigh affray That Capons courage yet he looked grim And fain'd to cheare his Ladie in dismay Who seem'd for feare to quake in euery lim And her to saue from outrage meekely prayed him Fiercely that stranger forward came and nigh Approching with bold words and bitter threat Bad that same boaster as he mote on high To leaue to him that Lady for excheat Or bide him battell without further treat That challenge did too peremptory seeme And fild his senses with abashment great Yet seeing nigh him ieopardy extreme He it dissembled well and light seem'd to esteeme Saying Thou foolish knight that weenst with words To steale away that I with blowes haue wonne And brought throgh points of many perilous swords But if thee list to see thy Courser ronne Or proue thy selfe this sad encounter shonne And seeke else without hazard of thy hed At those proud words that other knight begonne To wexe exceeding wroth and him ared To turne his steede about or sure he should be ded Sith then said Braggadocchio needes thou wilt Thy dayes abridge through proofe of puissance Turne we our steedes that both in equall tilt May meet againe and each take happie chance This said they both a furlongs mountenance Retyrd their steeds to ronne in euen race But Braggadocchio with his bloudie lance Once hauing turnd no more returnd his face But left his loue to losse and fled himselfe apace The knight him seeing fly had no regard Him to poursew but to the Ladie rode And hauing her from Trompart lightly reard Vpon his Courser set the louely lode And with her fled away without abode Well weened he that fairest Florimell It was with whom in company he yode And so her selfe did alwaies to him tell So made him thinke him selfe in heauen that was in hell But Florimell her selfe was farre away Driuen to great distresse by Fortune straunge And taught the carefull Mariner to play Sith late mischaunce had her compeld to chaunge The land for sea at randon there to raunge Yet there that cruell Queene auengeresse Not satisfide so farre her to estraunge From courtly blisse and wonted happinesse Did heape on her new waues of weary wretchednesse For being fled into the fishers bote For refuge from the Monsters crueltie Long so she on the mightie maine did flote And with the tide droue forward careleslie For th' aire was milde and cleared was the skie And all his windes Dan Aeolus did keepe From stirring vp their stormy enmitie As pittying to see her waile and weepe But all the while the fisher did securely sleepe At
wight vnwist to bee The fairest woman wight that euer eye did see Like as Minerua being late returnd From slaughter of the Giaunts conquered Where proud Encelade whose wide nosethrils burnd With breathed flames like to a furnace red Transfixed with the speare downe tombled ded From top of Hemus by him heaped hye Hath loosd her helmet from her lofty hed And her Gorgonian shield gins to vntye From her left arme to rest in glorious victorye Which whenas they beheld they smitten were With great amazement of so wondrous sight And each on other and they all on her Stood gazing as if suddein great affright Had them surprised At last auizing right Her goodly personage and glorious hew Which they so much mistooke they tooke delight In their first errour and yet still anew With wonder of her beauty fed their hungry vew Yet note their hungry vew be satisfide But seeing still the more desir'd to see And euer firmely fixed did abide In contemplation of diuinitie But they meruaild at her cheualree And noble prowesse which they had approued That much they faynd to know who she mote bee Yet none of all them her thereof amoued Yet euery one her likte and euery one her loued And Paridell though partly discontent With his late fall and fowle indignity Yet was soone wonne his malice to relent Through gracious regard of her faire eye And knightly worth which he too late did try Yet tried did adore Supper was dight Then they Malbecco prayd of curtesy That of his Lady they might haue the sight And company at meat to do them more delight But he to shift their curious request Gan causen why she could not come in place Her crased health her late recourse to rest And humid euening ill for sicke folkes cace But none of those excuses could take place Ne would they eate till she in presence came She came in presence with right comely grace And fairely them saluted as became And shewd her selfe in all a gentle curteous Dame They sate to meat and Satyrane his chaunce Was her before and Paridell besyde But he him selfe sate looking still askaunce Gainst Britomart and euer closely eyde Sir Satyrane that glaunces might not glyde But his blind eye that syded Paridell All his demeasnure from his sight did hyde On her faire face so did he feede his fill And sent close messages of loue to her at will And euer and anone when none was ware With speaking lookes that close embassage bore He rou'd at her and told his secret care For all that art he learned had ofyore Ne was she ignoraunt of that lewd lore But in his eye his meaning wisely red And with the like him answerd euermore She sent at him one firie dart whose hed Empoisned was with priuy lust and gealous dred He from that deadly throw made no defence But to the wound his weake hart opened wyde The wicked engine through false influence Past through his eyes and secretly did glyde Into his hart which it did sorely gryde But nothing new to him was that same paine Ne paine at all for he so oft had tryde The powre thereof and lou'd so oft in vaine That thing of course he counted loue to entertaine Thenceforth to her he sought to intimate His inward griefe by meanes to him well knowne Now Bacchus fruit out of the siluer plate He on the table dasht as ouerthrowne Or of the fruitfull liquor ouerflowne And by the dauncing bubbles did diuine Or therein write to let his loue be showne Which well she red out of the learned line A sacrament prophane in mistery of wine And when so of his hand the pledge she raught The guilty cup she fained to mistake And in her lap did shed her idle draught Shewing desire her inward flame to slake By such close signes they secret way did make Vnto their wils and one eyes watch escape Two eyes him needeth for to watch and wake Who louers will deceiue Thus was the ape By their faire handling put into Malbeccoes cape Now when of meats and drinks they had their fill Purpose was moued by that gentle Dame Vnto those knights aduenturous to tell Of deeds of armes which vnto them became And euery one his kindred and his name Then Paridell in whom a kindly pryde Of gracious speach and skill his words to frame Abounded being glad of so fit tyde Him to commend to her thus spake of all well eyde Troy that art now nought but an idle name And in thine ashes buried low dost lie Though whilome far much greater then thy fame Before that angry Gods and cruell skye Vpon thee heapt a direfull destinie What boots it boast thy glorious descent And fetch from heauen thy great Genealogie Sith all thy worthy prayses being blent Their of-spring hath embaste and later glory shent Most famous Worthy of the world by whome That warre was kindled which did Troy inflame And stately towres of Ilion whilome Brought vnto balefull ruine was by name Sir Paris far renowmd through noble fame Who through great prowesse and bold hardinesse From Lacedaemon fetcht the fairest Dame That euer Greece did boast or knight possesse Whom Venus to him gaue for meed of worthinesse Faire Helene flowre of beautie excellent And girlond of the mighty Conquerours That madest many Ladies deare lament The heauie losse of their braue Paramours Which they far off beheld from Troian toures And saw the fieldes of faire Scamander strowne With carcases of noble warrioures Whose fruitlesse liues were vnder furrow sowne And Xanthus sandy bankes with bloud all ouerflowne From him my linage I deriue aright Who long before the ten yeares siege of Troy Whiles yet on Ida he a shepheard hight On faire Oenone got a louely boy Whom for remembraunce of her passed ioy She of his Father Parius did name Who after Greekes did Priams realme destroy Gathred the Troian reliques sau'd from flame And with them sayling thence to th' Isle of Paros came That was by him cald Paros which before Hight Nausa there he many yeares did raine And built Nausicle by the Pontick shore The which he dying left next in remaine To Paridas his sonne From whom I Paridell by kin descend But for faire Ladies loue and glories gaine My natiue soile haue left my dayes to spend In seewing deeds of armes my liues and labours end When as the noble Britomart heard tell Of Troian warres and Priams Citie sackt The ruefull story of Sir Paridell She was empassiond at that piteous act With zelous enuy of Greekes cruell fact Against that nation from whose race of old She heard that she was lineally extract For noble Britons sprong from Troians bold And Troynouant was built of old Troyes ashes cold Then sighing soft awhile at last she thus O lamentable fall of famous towne Which raignd so many yeares victorious And of all Asie bore the soueraigne crowne In one sad night consumd and throwen downe What stony hart that heares thy haplesse
of such a rascall crew And otherwise if that he should retire He fear'd least they with shame would him pursew Therefore he Talus to them sent t' inquire The cause of their array and truce for to desire But soone as they him nigh approching spide They gan with all their weapons him assay And rudely stroke at him on euery side Yet nought they could him hurt ne ought dismay But when at them he with his flaile gan lay He like a swarme of flyes them ouerthrew Ne any of them durst come in his way But here and there before his presence flew And hid themselues in holes and bushes from his vew As when a Faulcon hath with nimble flight Flowne at a flush of Ducks foreby the brooke The trembling foule dismayd with dreadfull sight Of death the which them almost ouertooke Doe hide themselues from her astonying looke Amongst the flags and couert round about When Talus saw they all the field forsooke And none appear'd of all that raskall rout To Artegall he turn'd and went with him throughout Cant. III. The spousals of faire Florimell where turney many knights There Braggadochio is vncas'd in all the Ladies sights AFter long stormes and tempests ouerblowne The sunne at length his ioyous face doth cleare So when as fortune all her spight hath showne Some blisfull houres at last must needes appeare Else should afflicted wights oftimes despeire So comes it now to Florimell by tourne After long sorrowes suffered whyleare In which captiu'd she many moneths did mourne To tast of ioy and to wont pleasures to retourne Who being freed from Proteus cruell band By Marinell was vnto him affide And by him brought againe to Faerie land Where be her spous'd and made his ioyous bride The time and place was blazed farre and wide And solemne feasts and giusts ordain'd therefore To which there did resort from euery side Of Lords and Ladies infinite great store Ne any Knight was absent that braue courage bore To tell the glorie of the feast that day The goodly seruice the deuicefull sights The bridegromes state the brides most rich aray The pride of Ladies and the worth of knights The royall banquets and the rare delights Were worke fit for an Herauld not for me But for so much as to my lot here lights That with this present treatise doth agree True vertue to aduance shall here recounted bee When all men had with full satietie Of meates and drinkes their appetites suffiz'd To deedes of armes and proofe of cheualrie They gan themselues addresse full rich aguiz'd As each one had his furnitures deuiz'd And first of all issu'd Sir Marinell And with him sixe knights more which enterpriz'd To chalenge all in right of Florimell And to maintaine that she all others did excell The first of them was hight Sir Orimont A noble Knight and tride in hard assayes The second had to name Sir Bellisont But second vnto none in prowesse prayse The third was Brunell famous in his dayes The fourth Ecastor of exceeding might The fift Armeddan skild in louely layes The sixt was Lansack a redoubted Knight All sixe well seene in armes and prou'd in many a fight And them against came all that list to giust From euery coast and countrie vnder sunne None was debard but all had leaue that lust The trompets sound then all together ronne Full many deedes of armes that day were donne And many knights vnhorst and many wounded As fortune fell yet litle lost or wonne But all that day the greatest prayse redounded To Marinell whose name the Heralds loud resounded The second day so soone as morrow light Appear'd in heauen into the field they came And there all day continew'd cruell fight With diuers fortune fit for such a game In which all stroue with perill to winne fame Yet whether side was victor note be ghest But at the last the trompets did proclame That Marinell that day deserued best So they disparted were and all men went to rest The third day came that should due tryall lend Of all the rest and then this warlike crew Together met of all to make an end There Marinell great deeds of armes did shew And through the thickest like a Lyon flew Rashing oft helmes and ryuing plates a sonder That euery one his daunger did eschew So terribly his dreadfull strokes did thonder That all men stood amaz'd at his might did wonder But what on earth can alwayes happie stand The greater prowesse greater perils find So farre he past amongst his enemies band That they haue him enclosed so behind As by no meanes he can himselfe outwind And now perforce they haue him prisoner taken And now they doe with captiue bands him bind And now they lead him thence of all forsaken Vnlesse some succour had in time him ouertaken It fortun'd whylest they were thus ill beset Sir Artegall into the Tilt-yard came With Braggadochio whom he lately met Vpon the way with that his snowy Dame Where when he vnderstood by common fame What euill hap to Marinell betid He much was mou'd at so vnworthie shame And streight that boaster prayd with whom he rid To change his shield with him to be the better hid So forth he went and soone them ouer hent Where they were leading Marinell away Whom he assayld with dreadlesse hardiment And forst the burden of their prize to stay They were an hundred knights of that array Of which th' one halfe vpon himselfe did set Th' other stayd behind to gard the pray But he ere long the former fiftie bet And from th' other fiftie soone the prisoner fet So backe he brought Sir Marinell againe Whom hauing quickly arm'd againe anew They both together ioyned might and maine To set afresh on all the other crew Whom with sore hauocke soone they ouerthrew And chaced quite out of the field that none Against them durst his head to perill shew So were they left Lords of the field alone So Marinell by him was rescu'd from his fone Which when he had perform'd then backe againe To Braggadochio did his shield restore Who all this while behind him did remaine Keeping there close with him in pretious store That his false Ladie as ye heard afore Then did the trompets sound and Iudges rose And all these knights which that day armour bore Came to the open hall to listen whose The honour of the prize should be adiudg'd by those And thether also came in open sight Fayre Florimell into the common hall To greet his guerdon vnto euery knight And best to him to whom the best should fall Then for that stranger knight they loud did call To whom that day they should the girlond yield Who came not forth but for Sir Artegall Came Braggadochio and did shew his shield Which bore the Sunne brode blazed in a golden field The sight whereof did all with gladnesse fill So vnto him they did addeeme the prise Of all that Tryumph Then the trompets shrill Don Braggadochios
that former cause in hand Her selfe eftsoones she gan conuert againe Which that those knights likewise mote vnderstand And witnesse forth aright in forrain land Taking them vp vnto her stately throne Where they mote heare the matter throughly scand On either part she placed th' one on th' one The other on the other side and neare them none Then was there brought as prisoner to the barre A Ladie of great countenance and place But that she it with foule abuse did marre Yet did appeare rare beautie in her face But blotted with condition vile and base That all her other honour did obscure And titles of nobilitie deface Yet in that wretched semblant she did sure The peoples great compassion vnto her allure Then vp arose a person of deepe reach And rare in-sight hard matters to reuele That well could charme his tongue time his speach To all assayes his name was called Zele He gan that Ladie strongly to appele Of many haynous crymes by her enured And with sharpe reasons rang her such a pele That those whom she to pitie had allured He now t' abhorre and loath her person had procured First gan he tell how this that seem'd so faire And royally arayd Duessa hight That false Duessa which had wrought great care And mickle mischiefe vnto many a knight By her beguyled and confounded quight But not for those she now in question came Though also those mote question'd be aright But for vyld treasons and outrageous shame Which she against the dred Mercilla oft did frame For she whylome as ye mote yet right well Remember had her counsels false conspyred With faithlesse Blandamour and Paridell Both two her paramours both by her hyred And both with hope of shadowes vaine inspyred And with them practiz'd how for to depryue Mercilla of her crowne by her aspyred That she might it vnto her selfe deryue And tryumph in their blood whō she to death did dryue But through high heauens grace which fauour not The wicked driftes of trayterous desynes Gainst loiall Princes all this cursed plot Ere proofe it tooke discouered was betymes And th'actours won the meede meet for their crymes Such be the meede of all that by such mene Vnto the type of kingdomes title clymes But false Duessa now vntitled Queene Was brought to her sad doome as here was to be seene Strongly did Zele her haynous fact enforce And many other crimes of foule defame Against her brought to banish all remorse And aggrauate the horror of her blame And with him to make part against her came Many graue persons that against her pled First was a sage old Syre that had to name The Kingdomes care with a white siluer hed That many high regards and reasons gainst her red Then gan Authority her to appose With peremptorie powre that made all mute And then the law of Nations gainst her rose And reasons brought that no man could refute Next gan Religion gainst her to impute High Gods beheast and powre of holy lawes Then gan the Peoples cry and Commons sute Importune care of their owne publicke cause And lastly Iustice charged her with breach of lawes But then for her on the contrarie part Rose many aduocates for her to plead First there came Pittie with full tender hart And with her ioyn'd Regard of womanhead And then came Daunger threatning hidden dread And high alliance vnto forren powre Then came Nobilitie of birth that bread Great ruth through her misfortunes tragicke stowre And lastly Griefe did plead many teares forth powre With the neare touch whereof in tender hart The Briton Prince was sore empassionate And woxe inclined much vnto her part Through the sad terror of so dreadfull fate And wretched ruine of so high estate That for great ruth his courage gan relent Which when as Zele perceiued to abate He gan his earnest feruour to augment And many fearefull obiects to them to present He gan t'efforce the euidence anew And new accusements to produce in place He brought forth that old hag of hellish hew The cursed Ate brought her face to face Who priuie was and partie in the case She glad of spoyle and ruinous decay Did her appeach and to her more disgrace The plot of all her practise did display And all her traynes and all her treasons forth did lay Then brought he forth with griesly grim aspect Abhorred Murder who with bloudie knyfe Yet dropping fresh in hand did her detect And there with guiltie bloudshed charged ryfe Then brought he forth Sedition breeding stryfe In troublous wits and mutinous vprore Then brought he forth Incontinence of lyfe Euen foule Adulterie her face before And lewd Impietie that her accused sore All which when as the Prince had heard and seene His former fancies ruth he gan repent And from her partie eftsoones was drawen cleene But Artegall with constant firme intent For zeale of Iustice was against her bent So was she guiltie deemed of them all Then Zele began to vrge her punishment And to their Queene for iudgement loudly call Vnto Mercilla myld for Iustice gainst the thrall But she whose Princely breast was touched nere With piteous ruth of her so wretched plight Though plaine she saw by all that she did heare That she of death was guiltie found by right Yet would not let iust vengeance on her light But rather let in stead thereof to fall Few perling drops from her faire lampes of light The which she couering with her purple pall Would haue the passion hid and vp arose withall Cant. X. Prince Arthur takes the enterprize for Belgee for to fight Gerioneos Seneschall he slayes in Belges right SOme Clarkes doe doubt in their deuicefull art Whether this heauenly thing whereof I treat To weeten Mercie be of Iustice part Or drawne forth from her by diuine extreate This well I wote that sure she is as great And meriteth to haue as high a place Sith in th' Almighties euerlasting seat She first was bred and borne of heauenly race From thence pour'd down on men by influence of grace For if that Vertue be of so great might Which from iust verdict will for nothing start But to preserue inuiolated right Oft spilles the principall to saue the part So much more then is that of powre and art That seekes to saue the subiect of her skill Yet neuer doth from doome of right depart As it is greater prayse to saue then spill And better to reforme then to cut off the ill Who then can thee Mercilla throughly prayse That herein doest all earthly Princes pas What heauenly Muse shall thy great honour rayse Vp to the skies whence first deriu'd it was And now on earth it selfe enlarged has From th' vtmost brinke of the Armericke shore Vnto the margent of the Molucas Those Nations farre thy iustice doe adore But thine owne people do thy mercy prayse much more Much more it praysed was of those two knights The noble Prince and righteous Artegall When
shepheards weeds agreeably And both with shepheards hookes But Calidore Had vnderneath him armed priuily Tho to the place when they approched nye They chaunst vpon an hill not farre away Some flockes of sheepe and shepheards to espy To whom they both agreed to take their way In hope there newes to learne how they mote best assay There did they find that which they did not feare The selfe same flocks the which those theeues had reft From Meliboe and from themseles whyleare And certaine of the theeues there by them left The which for want of heards themselues then kept Right well knew Coridon his owne late sheepe And seeing them for tender pittie wept But when he saw the theeues which did them keepe His hart gan fayle albe he saw them all asleepe But Calidore recomforting his griefe Though not his feare for nought may feare disswade Him hardly forward drew whereas the thiefe Lay sleeping soundly in the bushes shade Whom Coridon him counseld to inuade Now all vnwares and take the spoyle away But he that in his mind had closely made A further purpose would not so them slay But gently waking them gaue them the time of day Tho sitting downe by them vpon the greene Of sundrie things he purpose gan to faine That he by them might certaine tydings weene Of Pastorell were she aliue or slaine Mongst which the theeues them questioned againe What mister men and eke from whence they were To whom they answer'd as did appertaine That they were poore heardgroomes the which whylere Had frō their maisters fled now sought hyre elswhere Whereof right glad they seem'd and offer made To hyre them well if they their flockes would keepe For they themselues were euill groomes they sayd Vnwont with heards to watch or pasture sheepe But to forray the land or scoure the deepe Thereto they soone agreed and earnest tooke To keepe their flockes for litle hyre and chepe For they for better hyre did shortly looke So there all day they bode till light the sky forsooke Tho when as towards darksome night it drew Vnto their hellish dens those theeues them brought Where shortly they in great acquaintance grew And all the secrets of their entrayles sought There did they find contrarie to their thought That Pastorell yet liu'd but all the rest Were dead right so as Coridon had taught Whereof they both full glad and blyth did rest But chiefly Calidore whom griefe had most possest At length when they occasion fittest found In dead of night when all the theeues did rest After a late forray and slept full sound Sir Calidore him arm'd as he thought best Hauing of late by diligent inquest Prouided him a sword of meanest sort With which he streight went to the Captaines nest But Coridon durst not with him consort Ne durst abide behind for dread of worse effort When to the Caue they came they found it fast But Calidore with huge resistlesse might The dores assayled and the locks vpbrast With noyse whereof the theefe awaking light Vnto the entrance ran where the bold knight Encountring him with small resistance slew The whiles faire Pastorell through great affright Was almost dead misdoubting least of new Some vprore were like that which lately she did vew But when as Calidore was comen in And gan aloud for Pastorell to call Knowing his voice although not heard long sin She sudden was reuiued therewithall And wondrous ioy felt in her spirits thrall Like him that being long in tempest tost Looking each houre into deathes mouth to fall At length espyes at hand the happie cost On which he safety hopes that earst feard to be lost Her gentle hart that now long season past Had neuer ioyance felt nor chearefull thought Began some smacke of comfort new to tast Like lyfull heat to nummed senses brought And life to feele that long for death had sought Ne lesse in hart reioyced Calidore When he her found but like to one distraught And robd of reason towards her him bore A thousand times embrast and kist a thousand more But now by this with noyse of late vprore The hue and cry was raysed all about And all the Brigants flocking in great store Vnto the caue gan preasse nought hauing dout Of that was doen and entred in a rout But Calidore in th' entry close did stand And entertayning them with courage stout Still slew the formost that came first to hand So long till all the entry was with bodies mand Tho when no more could nigh to him approch He breath'd his sword and rested him till day Which when he spyde vpon the earth t' encroch Through the dead carcases he made his way Mongst which he found a sword of better say With which he forth went into th' open light Where all the rest for him did readie stay And fierce assayling him with all their might Gan all vpon him lay there gan a dreadfull fight How many flyes in whottest sommers day Do seize vpon some beast whose flesh is bare That all the place with swarmes do ouerlay And with their litle stings right felly fare So many theeues about him swarming are All which do him assayle on euery side And sore oppresse ne any him doth spare But he doth with his raging brond diuide Their thickest troups round about him scattreth wide Like as a Lion mongst an heard of dere Disperseth them to catch his choysest pray So did he fly amongst them here and there And all that nere him came did hew and slay Till he had strowd with bodies all the way That none his daunger daring to abide Fled from his wrath and did themselues conuay Into their caues their heads from death to hide Ne any left that victorie to him enuide Then backe returning to his dearest deare He her gan to recomfort all he might With gladfull speaches and with louely cheare And forth her bringing to the ioyous light Whereof she long had lackt the wishfull sight Deuiz'd all goodly meanes from her to driue The sad remembrance of her wretched plight So her vneath at last he did reuiue That long had lyen dead and made againe aliue This doen into those theeuish dens he went And thence did all the spoyles and threasures take Which they from many long had robd and rent But fortune now the victors meed did make Of which the best he did his loue betake And also all those flockes which they before Had reft from Meliboe and from his make He did them all to Coridon restore So droue them all away and his loue with him bore Cant. XII Fayre Pastorella by great hap her parents vnderstands Calidore doth the Blatant beast subdew and bynd in bands LIke as a ship that through the Ocean wyde Directs her course vnto one certaine cost Is met of many a counter winde and tyde With which her winged speed is let and crost And she her selfe in stormie surges tost Yet making many a borde and many a bay Still