Yet nought they feard but past on hardily Vntill they came in vew of those wild beasts Who all attonce gaping full greedily And rearing fiercely their vpstarting crests Ran towards to deuoure those vnexpected guests But soone as they approcht with deadly threat The Palmer ouer them his staffe vpheld His mighty staffe that could all charmes defeat Eftsoones their stubborne courages were queld And high aduaunced crests downe meekely feld In stead of fraying they them selues did feare And trembled as them passing they beheld Such wondrous powre did in that staffe appeare All monsters to subdew to him that did it beare Of that same wood it fram'd was cunningly Of which Caduceus whilome was made Caduceus the rod of Mercury With which he wonts the Stygian realmes inuade Through ghastly horrour and eternall shade Th' infernall feends with it he can asswage And Orcus tame whom nothing can perswade And rule the Furyes when they most do rage Such vertue in his staffe had eke this Palmer sage Thence passing forth they shortly do arriue Whereas the Bowre of Blisse was situate A place pick out by choice of best aliue That natures worke by art can imitate In which what euer in this worldly state Is sweet and pleasing vnto liuing sense Or that may dayntiest fantasie aggrate Was poured forth with plentifull dispence And made there to abound with lauish affluence Goodly it was enclosed round about Aswell their entred guestes to keepe within As those vnruly beasts to hold without Yet was the fence thereof but weake and thin Nought feard their force that fortilage to win But wisedomes powre and temperaunces might By which the mightiest things efforced bin And eke the gate was wrought of substaunce light Rather for pleasure then for battery or fight Yt framed was of precious yuory That seemd a worke of admirable wit And therein all the famous history Of Iason and Medaea was ywrit Her mighty charmes her furious louing fit His goodly conquest of the golden fleece His falsed faith and loue too lightly flit The wondred Argo which in venturous peece First through the Euxine seas bore all the flowr of Greece Ye might haue seene the frothy billowes fry Vnder the ship as thorough them she went That seemd the waues were into yuory Or yuory into the waues were sent And other where the snowy substaunce sprent With vermell like the boyes bloud therein shed A piteous spectacle did represent And otherwhiles with gold besprinkeled Yt seemd th'enchaunted flame which did Creiisa wed All this and more might in that goodly gate Be red that euer open stood to all Which thither came but in the Porch there sate A comely personage of stature tall And semblaunce pleasing more then naturall That trauellers to him seemd to entize His looser garment to the ground did fall And flew about his heeles in wanton wize Not fit for speedy pace or manly exercize They in that place him Genius did call Not that celestiall powre to whom the care Of life and generation of all That liues pertaines in charge particulare Who wondrous things concerning our welfare And straunge phantomes doth let vs oft forsee And oft of secret ill bids vs beware That is our Selfe whom though we do not see Yet each doth in him selfe it well perceiue to bee Therefore a God him sage Antiquity Did wisely make and good Agdistes call But this same was to that quite contrary The foe of life that good enuyes to all That secretly doth vs procure to fall Through guilefull semblaunts which he makes vs see He of this Gardin had the gouernall And Pleasures porter was deuizd to bee Holding a staffe in hand for more formalitee With diuerse flowres he daintily was deckt And strowed round about and by his side A mighty Mazer bowle of wine was set As if it had to him bene sacrifide Wherewith all new-come guests he gratifide So did he eke Sir Guyon passing by But he his idle curtesie defide And ouerthrew his bowle disdainfully And broke his staffe with which he charmed semblants sly Thus being entred they behold around A large and spacious plaine on euery side Strowed with pleasauns whose faire grassy ground Mantled with grenee and goodly beautifide With all the ornaments of Floraes pride Wherewith her mother Art as halfe in scome Of niggard Nature like a pompous bride Did decke her and too lauishly adorne When forth from virgin bowre she comes in th' early morne Thereto the Heauens alwayes Iouiall Lookt on them louely still in stedfast state Ne suffred storme nor frost on them to fall Their tender buds or leaues to violate Nor scorching heat nor cold intemperate Tafflict the crearures which therein did dwell But the milde aire with season moderate Gently attempred and disposd so well That still it breathed forth sweet spirit holesome smell More sweet and holesome then the pleasaunt hill Of Rhodope on which the Nimphe that bore A gyaunt babe her selfe for griefe did kill Or the Thessalian Tempe where of yore Faire Daphne Phoebus hart with loue did gore Or Ida where the Gods lou'd to repaire When euer they their heauenly bowres forlore Or sweet Parnasse the ha unt of Muses faire Of Eden if ought with Eden mote compaire Much wondred Guyon at the faire aspect Of that sweet place yet suffred no delight To sincke into his sence nor mind affect But passed forth and lookt still forward right Bridling his will and maistering his might Till that he came vnto another gate No gate but like one being goodly dight With boughes and braunches which did broad dilate Their clasping armes in wanton wreathings intricate So fashioned a Porch with rare deuice Archt ouer head with an embracing vine Whose bounches hanging downe seemed to entice All passers by to tast their lushious wine And did themselues into their hands incline As freely offering to be gathered Some deepe empurpled as the Hyacint Some as the Rubine laughing sweetly red Some like faire Emeraudes not yet well ripened And them amongst some were of burnisht gold So made by art to beautifie the rest Which did themselues emongst the leaues enfold As lurking from the vew of couetous guest That the weake bowes with so rich load opprest Did bow adowne as ouer-burdened Vnder that Porch a comely dame did rest Clad in faire weedes but fowle disordered And garments loose that seemd vnmeet for womanhed In her left hand a Cup of gold she held And with her right the riper fruit did reach Whose sappy liquor that with fulnesse sweld Into her cup she scruzd with daintie breach Of her fine fingers without fowle empeach That so faire wine-presse made the wine more sweet Thereof she vsd to giue to drinke to each Whom passing by she happened to meet It was her guise all Straungers goodly so to greet So she to Gayon offred it to tast Who taking it out of her tender hond The cup to ground did violently cast That all in pecces it was broken fond And with the liquor
to thee reprochfull blame To erect this wicked custome which I heare Gainst errant Knights and Ladies thou dost reare Whom when thou mayst thou dost of arms despoile Or of their vpper garment which they weare Yet doest thou not with manhood but with guile Maintaine this euill vse thy foes thereby to foile And lastly in approuance of thy wrong To shew such faintnesse and foule cowardize Is greatest shame for oft it falles that strong And valiant knights doe rashly enterprize Either for fame or else for exercize A wrongfull quarrell to maintaine by right Yet haue through prowesse and their braue emprize Gotten great worship in this worldes sight For greater force there needs to maintaine wrong then right Yet since thy life vnto this Ladie fayre I giuen haue liue in reproch and scorne Ne euer armes ne euer knighthood dare Hence to professe for shame is to adorne With so braue badges one so basely borne But onely breath sith that I did forgiue So hauing from his crauen bodie torne Those goodly armes he them away did giue And onely suffred him this wretched life to liue There whilest he thus was setling things aboue Atwene that Ladie myld and recreant knight To whom his life he graunted for her loue He gan bethinke him in what perilous plight He had behynd him left that saluage wight Amongst so many foes whom sure he thought By this quite slaine in so vnequall fight Therefore descending backe in haste he sought If yet he were aliue or to destruction brought There he him found enuironed about With slaughtred bodies which his hand had slaine And laying yet a fresh with courage stout Vpon the rest that did aliue remaine Whom he likewise right sorely did constraine Like scattred sheepe to seeke for safetie After he gotten had with busie paine Some of their weapons which thereby did lie With which he layd about and made them fast to flie Whom when the Prince so felly saw to rage Approching to him neare his hand he stayd And sought by making signes him to asswage Who them perceiuing streight to him obayd As to his Lord and downe his weapons layd As if he long had to his heasts bene trayned Thence he him brought away and vp conuayd Into the chamber where that Dame remayned With her vnworthy knight who ill him entertayned Whom when the Saluage saw from daunger free Sitting beside his Ladie there at ease He well remembred that the same was hee Which lately sought his Lord for to displease Tho all in rage he on him streight did seaze As if he would in peeces him haue rent And were not that the Prince did him appeaze He had not left one limbe of him vnrent But streight he held his hand at his commaundement Thus hauing all things well in peace ordayned The Prince himselfe there all that night did rest Where him Blandina fayrely entertayned With all the courteous glee and goodly feast The which for him she could imagine best For well she knew the wayes to win good will Of euery wight that were not too infest And how to please the minds of good and ill Through tempering of her words lookes by wondrous skill Yet were her words and lookes but false and fayned To some hid end to make more easie way Or to allure such fondlings whom she trayned Into her trap vnto their owne decay Thereto when needed she could weepe and pray And when her listed she could fawne and flatter Now smyling smoothly like to sommers day Now glooming sadly so to cloke her matter Yet were her words but wynd all her teares but water Whether such grace were giuen her by kynd As women wont their guilefull wits to guyde Or learn'd the art to please I doe not fynd This well I wote that she so well applyde Her pleasing tongue that soone she pacifyde The wrathfull Prince wrought her husbands peace Who nathelesse not therewith satisfyde His rancorous despight did not releasse Ne secretly from thought of fell reuenge surceasse For all that night the whyles the Prince did rest In carelesse couch not weeting what was ment He watcht in close awayt with weapons prest Willing to worke his villenous intent On him that had so shamefully him shent Yet durst he not for very cowardize Effect the same whylest all the night was spent The morrow next the Prince did early rize And passed forth to follow his first enterprize Cant. VII Turpine is baffuld his two knights doe gaine their treasons meed Fayre Mirabellaes punishment for loues disdaine decreed LIke as the gentle hart it selfe bewrayes In doing gentle deedes with franke delight Euen so the baser mind it selfe displayes In cancred malice and reuengefull spight For to maligne t'enuie t' vse shifting slight Be arguments of a vile donghill mind Which what it dare not doe by open might To worke by wicked treason wayes doth find By such discourteous deeds discouering his base kind That well appeares in this discourteous knight The coward Turpine whereof now I treat Who notwithstanding that in former fight He of the Prince his life receiued late Yet in his mind malitious and ingrate He gan denize to be aueng'd anew For all that shame which kindled inward hate Therefore so soone as he was out of vew Himselfe in hast he arm'd and did him fast pursew Well did he tract his steps as he did ryde Yet would not neare approch in daungers eye But kept aloofe for dread to be descryde Vntill fit time and place he mote espy Where he mote worke him scath and villeny At last he met two knights to him vnknowne The which were arm'd both agreeably And both combynd what euer chaunce were blowne Betwixt them to diuide and each to make his owne To whom false Turpine comming courteously To cloke the mischiefe which he inly ment Gan to complaine of great discourtesie Which a straunge knight that neare afore him went Had doen to him and his deare Ladie shent Which if they would afford him ayde at need For to auenge in time conuenient They should accomplish both a knightly deed And for their paines obtaine of him a goodly meed The knights beleeu'd that all he sayd was trew And being fresh and full of youthly spright Were glad to heare of that aduenture new In which they mote make triall of their might Which neuer yet they had approu'd in fight And eke desirous of the offred meed Said then the one of them where is that wight The which hath doen to thee this wrongfull deed That we may it auenge and punish him with speed He rides said Turpine there not farre afore With a wyld man soft footing by his syde That if ye list to haste a litle more Ye may him ouertake in timely tyde Eftsoones they pricked forth with forward pryde And ere that litle while they ridden had The gentle Prince not farre away they spyde Ryding a softly pace with portance sad Deuizing of his loue more then of daunger drad
great industree Shortly therein so perfect he became That from the first vnto the last degree His mortall life he learned had to frame In holy righteousnesse without rebuke or blame Thence forward by that painfull way they pas Forth to an hill that was both steepe and hy On top whereof a sacred chappell was And eke a litle Hermitage thereby Wherein an aged holy man did lye That day and night said his deuotion Ne other worldly busines did apply His name was heauenly Contemplation Of God and goodnesse was his meditation Great grace that old man to him giuen had For God he often saw from heauens hight All were his earthly eyen both blunt and bad And through great age had lost their kindly sight Yet wondrous quick and persant was his spright As Eagles eye that can behold the Sunne That hill they scale with all their powre and might That his frayle thighes nigh wearie and fordonne Gan faile but by her helpe the top at last he wonne There they do finde that godly aged Sire With snowy lockes adowne his shoulders shed As hoarie frost with spangles doth attire The mossy braunches of an Oke halfe ded Each bone might through his body well be red And euery sinew seene through his long fast For nought he car'd his carcas long vnfed His mind was full of spirituall repast And pyn'd his flesh to keepe his body low and chast Who when these two approching he aspide At their first presence grew agrieued sore That forst him lay his heauenly thoughts aside And had he not that Dame respected more Whom highly he did reuerence and adore He would not once haue moued for the knight They him saluted standing far afore Who well them greeting humbly did requight And asked to what end they clomb that tedious height What end quoth he should cause vs take such paine But that same end which euery liuing wight Should make his marke high heauen to attaine Is not from hence the way that leadeth right To that most glorious house that glistreth bright With burning starres and euerliuing fire Whereof the keyes are to thy hand behight By wise Fidelia she doth thee require To shew it to this knight according his desire Thrise happy man said then the father graue Whose staggering steps thy steady hand doth lead And shewes the way his sinfull soule to saue Who better can the way to heauen aread Then thou thy selfe that was both borne and bred In heauenly throne where thousand Angels shine Thou doest the prayers of the righteous sead Present before the maiestie diuine And his auenging wrath to clemencie incline Yet since thou bidst thy pleasure shal be donne Then come thou man of earth and see the way That neuer yet was seene of Faeries sonne That neuer leads the traueiler astray But after labours long and sad delay Bring them to ioyous rest and endlesse blis But first thou must a season fast and pray Till from her bands the spright assoiled is And haue her strength recur'd from fraile infirmitis That done he leads him to the highest Mount Such one as that same mighty man of God That bloud-red billowes like a walled front On either side disparted with his rod Till that his army dry-foot through them yod Dwelt fortie dayes vpon where writ in stone With bloudy letters by the hand of God The bitter doome of death and balefull mone He did receiue whiles flashing fire about him shone Or like that sacred hill whose head full hie Adornd with fruitfull Oliues all arownd Is as it were for endlesse memory Of that deare Lord who oft thereon was fownd For euer with a flowring girlond crownd Or like that pleasaunt Mount that is for ay Through famous Poets verse each where renownd On which the thrise three learned Ladies play Their heauenly notes and make full many a louely lay From thence far off he vnto him did shew A litle path that was both steepe and long Which to a goodly Citie led his vew Whose wals and towres were builded high and strong Of perle and precious stone that earthly tong Cannot describe nor wit of man can tell Too high a ditty for my simple song The Citie of the great king hight it well Wherein eternall peace and happinesse doth dwell As he thereon stood gazing he might see The blessed Angels to and fro descend From highest heauen in gladsome companee And with great ioy into that Citie wend As commonly as friend does with his frend Whereathe wondred much and gan enquere What stately building durst so high extend Her loftie towres vnto the starry sphere And what vnknowen nation there empeopled were Faire knight quoth he Hierusalem that is The new Hierusalem that God has built For those to dwell in that are chosen his His chosen people purg'd from sinfull guilt With piteous bloud which cruelly was spilt On cursed tree of that vnspotted lam That for the sinnes of all the world was kilt Now are they Saints all in that Citie sam More deare vnto their God then yoūglings to their dam. Till now said then the knight I weened well That great Cleopolis where I haue beene In which that fairest Faerie Queene doth dwell The fairest Citie was that might be seene And that bright towre all built of christall cleene Panthea seemd the brightest thing that was But now by proofe all otherwise I weene For this great Citie that does far surpas And this bright Angels towre quite dims that towre of glas Most trew then said the holy aged man Yet is Cleopolis for earthly fame The fairest peece that eye beholden can And well beseemes all knights of noble name That couet in th' immortall booke of fame To be eternized that same to haunt And doen their seruice to that soueraigne Dame That glorie does to them for guerdon graunt For she is heauenly borne and heauen may iustly vaunt And thou faire ymp sprong out from English race How euer now accompted Elsins sonne Well worthy doest thy seruice for her grace To aide a virgin desolate foredonne But when thou famous victorie hast wonne And high emongst all knights hast hong thy shield Thenceforth the suit of earthly conquest shonne And wash thy hands from guilt of bloudy field For bloud can nought but sin wars but sorrowes yield Then seeke this path that I to thee presage Which after all to heauen shall thee send Then peaceably to thy painefull pilgrimage To yonder same Hierusalem do bend Where is for thee ordaind a blessed end For thou emongst those Saints whom thou doest see Shalt be a Saint and thine owne nations frend And Patrone thou Saint George shalt called bee Saint George of mery England the signe of victoree Vnworthy wretch quoth he ofso great grace How dare I thinke such glory to attaine These that haue it attaind were in like cace Quoth he as wretched and liu'd in like paine But deeds of armes must I at last be faine And Ladies loue to leaue
Cookes accoyld With hookes and ladles as need did require The whiles the viandes in the vessell boyld They did about their businesse sweat and sorely toyld The maister Cooke was cald Concoction A carefull man and full of comely guise The kitchin Clerke that hight Digestion Did order all th'Achates in seemely wise And set them forth as well he could deuise The rest had seuerall offices assind Some to remoue the scum as it did rise Others to beare the same away did mind And others it to vse according to his kind But all the liquour which was fowle and wast Not good nor seruiceable else for ought They in another great round vessell plast Till by a conduit pipe it thence were brought And all the rest that noyous was and nought By secret wayes that none might it espy Was close conuaid and to the back-gate brought That cleped was Port Esquiline whereby It was auoided quite and throwne out priuily Which goodly order and great workmans skill When as those knights beheld with rare delight And gazing wonder they their minds did fill For neuer had they seene so straunge a sight Thence backe againe faire Alma led them right And soone into a goodly Parlour brought That was with royall arras richly dight In which was nothing pourtrahed nor wrought Not wrought nor pourtrahed but easie to be thought And in the midst thereof vpon the floure A louely beuy of faire Ladies sate Courted of many a iolly Paramoure The which them did in modest wise amate And each one sought his Lady to aggrate And eke emongst them litle Cupid playd His wanton sports being returned late From his fierce warres and hauing from him layd His cruell bow wherewith he thousands hath dismayd Diuerse delights they found them selues to please Some song in sweet consort some laught for ioy Some plaid with strawes some idly sat at ease But other some could not abide to toy All pleasaunce was to them griefe and annoy This fround that faund the third for shame did blush Another seemed enuious or coy Another in her teeth did gnaw a rush But at these straungers presence euery one did hush Soone as the gracious Alma came in place They all attonce out of their seates arose And to her homage made with humble grace Whom when the knights beheld they gan dispose Themselues to court and each a Damsell chose The Prince by chaunce did on a Lady light That was right faire and fresh as morning rose But somwhat sad and solemne eke in sight As if some pensiue thought cōstraind her gentle spright In a long purple pall whose skirt with gold Was fretted all about she was arayd And in her hand a Poplar braunch did hold To whom the Prince in curteous manner said Gentle Madame why beene ye thus dismaid And your faire beautie do with sadnesse spill Liues any that you hath thus ill apaid Or doen your loue or doen you lacke your will What euer be the cause it sure beseemes you ill Faire Sir said she halfe in disdainefull wise How is it that this word in me ye blame And in your selfe do not the same aduise Him ill beseemes anothers fault to name That may vnwares be blotted with the same Pensiue I yeeld I am and sad in mind Through great desire of glory and of fame Ne ought I weene are ye therein behind That haue twelue moneths sought one yet no where can her find The Prince was inly moued at her speach Well weeting trew what she had rashly told Yet with faire samblaunt sought to hide the breach Which chaunge of colour did perforce vnfold Now seeming flaming whot now stony cold Tho turning soft aside he did inquire What wight she was that Poplar braunch did hold It answered was her name was Prays-desire That by well doing sought to honour to aspire The whiles the Faerie knight did entertaine Another Damsell of that gentle crew That was right faire and modest of demaine But that too oft she chaung'd her natiue hew Straunge was her tyre and all her garment blew Close round about her tuckt with many a plight Vpon her fist the bird which shonneth vew And keepes in couerts close from liuing wight Did sit as yet ashamd how rude Pan did her dight So long as Guyon with her commoned Vnto the ground she cast her modest eye And euer and anone with rosie red The bashfull bloud her snowy cheekes did dye That her became as polisht yuory Which cunning Craftesman hand hath ouerlayd With faire vermilion or pure lastery Great wonder had the knight to see the mayd So straungely passioned and to her gently sayd Faire Damzell seemeth by your troubled cheare That either me too bold ye weene this wise You to molest or other ill to feare That in the secret of your hart close lyes From whence it doth as cloud from sea arise If it be I of pardon I you pray But if ought else that I mote not deuise I will if please you it discure assay To ease you of that ill so wisely as I may She answerd nought but more abasht for shame Held downe her head the whiles her louely face The flashing bloud with blushing did inflame And the strong passion mard her modest grace That Guyon meruayld at her vncouth cace Till Alma him bespake why wonder yee Faire Sir at that which ye so much embrace She is the fountaine of your modestee You shamefast are but Shamefastnesse it selfe is shee Thereat the Elfe did blush in priuitee And turnd his face away but she the same Dissembled faire and faynd to ouersee Thus they awhile with court and goodly game Themselues did solace each one with his Dame Till that great Ladie thence away them sought To vew her castles other wondrous frame Vp to a stately Turret she them brought Ascending by ten steps of Alablaster wrought That Turrets frame most admirable was Like highest heauen compassed around And lifted high aboue this earthly masse Which it suruew'd as hils doen lower ground But not on Ground mote like to this be found Not that which antique Cadmus whylome built In Thebes which Alexander did confound Nor that proud towre of Troy though richly guilt From which young Hectors bloud by cruell Greekes was spilt The roofe hereof was arched ouer head And deckt with flowers and herbars daintily Two goodly Beacons set in watches stead Therein gaue light and flam'd continually For they of liuing fire most subtilly Were made and set in siluer sockets bright Couer'd with lids deuiz'd of substance sly That readily they shut and open might O who can tell the prayses of that makers might Ne can I tell ne can I stay to tell This parts great workmanship wondrous powre That all this other worlds worke doth excell And likest is vnto that heauenly towre That God hath built for his owne blessed bowre Therein were diuerse roomes and diuerse stages But three the chiefest and of greatest powre In which there dwelt three honorable sages The
her dayes Aswell in curious instruments as cunning layes Of whom he did great Constantine beget Who afterward was Emperour of Rome To which whiles absent he his mind did set Octauius here lept into his roome And it vsurped by vnrighteous doome But he his title iustifide by might Slaying Traherne and hauing ouercome The Romane legion in dreadfull fight So settled he his kingdome and confirmd his right But wanting issew male his daughter deare He gaue in wedlocke to Maximian And him with her made of his kingdome heyre Who soone by meanes thereof the Empire wan Till murdred by the friends of Gratian Then gan the Hunnes and Picts inuade this land During the raigne of Maximinian Who dying left none heire them to withstand But that they ouerran all parts with easie hand The weary Britons whose war-hable youth Was by Maximian lately led away With wretched miseries and woefull ruth Were to those Pagans made an open pray And dayly spectacle of sad decay Whom Romane warres which now foure hundred yeares And more had wasted could no whit dismay Till by consent of Commons and of Peares They crownd the second Constantine with ioyous teares Who hauing oft in battell vanquished Those spoilefull Picts and swarming Easterlings Long time in peace his Realme established Yet oft annoyd with sundry bordragings Of neighbour Scots and forrein Scatterlings With which the world did in those dayes abound Which to outbarre with painefull pyonings From sea to sea he heapt a mightie mound Which from Alcluid to Panwelt did that border bound Three sonnes he dying left all vnder age By meanes whereof their vncle Vortigere Vsurpt the crowne during their pupillage Which th' Infants tutors gathering to feare Them closely into Armorick did beare For dread of whom and for those Picts annoyes He sent to Germanie straunge aid to reare From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons whom he for his safetie imployes Two brethren were their Captains which hight Hengist and Horsus well approu'd in warre And both of them men of renowmed might Who making vantage of their ciuill iarre And of those forreiners which came from farre Grew great and got large portions of land That in the Realme ere long they stronger arre Then they which sought at first their helping hand And Vortiger enforst the kingdome to aband But by the helpe of Vortimere his sonne He is againe vnto his rule restord And Hengist seeming sad for that was donne Receiued is to grace and new accord Through his faire daughters face flattring word Soone after which three hundred Lordes he slew Of British bloud all sitting at his bord Whose dolefull moniments who list to rew Th' eternall markes of treason may at Stonheng vew By this the sonnes of Constantine which fled Ambrise and Vther did ripe yeares attaine And here arriuing strongly challenged The crowne which Vortiger did long detaine Who flying from his guilt by them was slaine And Hengist eke soone brought to shamefull death Thenceforth Aurelius peaceably did rayne Till that through poyson stopped was his breath So now entombed lyes at Stoneheng by the heath After him Vther which Pendragon hight Succeding There abruptly it did end Without full point or other Cesure right As if the rest some wicked hand did rend Or th' Authour selfe could not at least attend To finish it that so vntimely breach The Prince him selfe halfe seemeth to offend Yet secret pleasure did offence empeach And wonder of antiquitie long stopt his speach At last quite rauisht with delight to heare The royall Ofspring of his natiue land Cryde out Deare countrey ô how dearely deare Ought thy remembraunce and perpetuall band Be to thy foster Childe that from thy hand Did commun breath and nouriture receaue How brutish is it not to vnderstand How much to her we owe that all vs gaue That gaue vnto vs all what euer good we haue But Guyon all this while his booke did read Ne yet has ended for it was a great And ample volume that doth far excead My leasure so long leaues here to repeat It told how first Prometheus did create A man of many partes from beasts deriued And then stole fire from heauen to animate His worke for which he was by loue depriued Of life him selfe and hart-strings of an Aegle riued That man so made he called Elfe to weet Quick the first author of all Elfin kind Who wandring through the world with wearie feet Did in the gardins of Adonis find A goodly creature whom he deemd in mind To beno earthly wight but either Spright Or Angell th' authour of all woman kind Therefore a Fay he her according hight Of whom all Faeryes spring and fetch their lignage right Of these a mightie people shortly grew And puissaunt kings which all the world warrayd And to them selues all Nations did subdew The first and eldest which that scepter swayd Was Elfin him all India obayd And all that now America men call Next him was noble Elfinan who layd Cleopolis foundation first of all But Elfiline enclosd it with a golden wall His sonne was Elfinell who ouercame The wicked Gobbelines in bloudy field But Elfant was of most renowmed fame Who all of Christall did Panthea build Then Elfar who two brethren gyants kild The one of which had two heads th' other three Then Elfinor who was in Magick skild He built by art vpon the glassy See A bridge of bras whose sound heauēs thunder seem'd to bee He left three sonnes the which in order raynd And all their Ofspring in their dew descents Euen seuen hundred Princes which maintaynd With mightie deedes their sundry gouernments That were too long their infinite contents Here to record ne much materiall Yet should they be most famous moniments And bratie ensample both of martiall And ciuill rule to kings and states imperiall After all these Elficleos did rayne The wise Elficleos in great Maiestie Who mightily that scepter did sustayne And with rich spoiles and famous victorie Did high aduaunce the crowne of Faery He left two sonnes of which faire Elferon The eldest brother did vntimely dy Whose emptie place the mightie Oberon Doubly supplide in spousall and dominion Great was his power and glorie ouer all Which him before that sacred seate did fill That yet remaines his wide memoriall He dying left the fairest Tanaquill Him to succeede therein by his last will Fairer and nobler liueth none this howre Ne like in grace ne like in learned skill Therefore they Glorian call that glorious flowre Long mayst thou Glorian liue in glory and great powre Beguild thus with delight of nouelties And naturall desire of countreys state So long they red in those antiquities That how the time was fled they quite forgate Till geutle Alma seeing it so late Perforce their studies broke and them besought To thinke how supper did them long awaite So halfe vnwilling from their bookes them brought And fairely feasted as so nobles knights she ought Cant. XI The enimies
was that woman this that deadly wound That Proteus prophecide should him dismay The which his mother vainely did expound To be hart-wounding loue which should assay To bring her sonne vnto his last decay So tickle be the termes of mortall state And full of subtile sophismes which do play With double senses and with false debate Tapproue the vnknowen purpose of eternall fate Too true the famous Marinell it fownd Who through late triall on that wealthy Strond Inglorious now lies in senselesse swownd Through heauy stroke of Britomartis hond Which when his mother deare did vnderstond And heauy tydings heard whereas she playd Amongst her watry sisters by a pond Gathering sweet daffadillyes to haue made Gay girlonds from the Sun their forheads faire to shade Eftsoones both flowres and girlonds farre away She flong and her faire deawy lockes yrent To sorrow huge she turnd her former play And gameson merth to grieuous dreriment She threw her selfe downe on the Continent Ne word did speake but lay as in a swowne Whiles all her sisters did for her lament With yelling outcries and with shrieking sowne And euery one did teare her girlond from her crowne Soone as she vp out of her deadly fit Arose she bad her charet to be brought And all her sisters that with her did sit Bad eke attonce their charets to be sought Tho full of bitter griefe and pensiue thought She to her wagon clombe clombe all the rest And forth together went with sorrow fraught The waues obedient to their beheast Them yielded readie passage and their rage surceast Great Neptune stood amazed at their sight Whiles on his broad round backe they softly slid And eke himselfe mournd at their mournfull plight Yet wist not what their wailing ment yet did For great compassion of their sorrow bid His mightie waters to them buxome bee Eftsoones the roaring billowes still abid And all the griefly Monsters of the See Stood gaping at their gate and wondred them to see A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray Drew the smooth charet of sad Cymoent They were all taught by Triton to obay To the long traines at her commaundement As swift as swallowes on the waues they went That their broad flaggie finnes no fome did reare Ne bubbling roundell they behind them sent The rest of other fishes drawen weare Which with their finny oars the swelling sea did sheare Soone as they bene arriu'd vpon the brim Of the Rich strond their charets they forlore And let their temed fishes softly swim Along the margent of the fomy shore Least they their finnes should bruze and surbate sore Their tender feet vpon the stony ground And comming to the place where all in gore And cruddy bloud enwallowed they found The lucklesse Marinell lying in deadly swound His mother swowned thrise and the third time Could scarce recouered be out of her paine Had she not bene deuoyd of mortall slime She should not then haue bene reliu'd againe But soone as life recouered had the raine She made so piteous mone and deare wayment That the hard rocks could scarse from teares refraine And all her sister Nymphes with one consent Supplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement Deare image of my selfe she said that is The wretched sonne of wretched mother borne Is this thine high aduauncement ô is this Th' immortall name with which thee yet vnborne Thy Gransire Nereus promist to adorne Now lyest thou of life and honor reft Now lyest thou a lumpe of earth forlorne Ne of thy late life memory is left Ne can thy irreuocable destiny be weft Fond Proteus father of false prophecis And they more fond that credit to thee giue Not this the worke of womans hand ywis That so deepe wound through these deare members driue I feared loue but they that loue do liue But they that die doe neither loue nor hate Nath'lesse to thee thy folly I forgiue And to my selfe and to accursed fate The guilt I doe ascribe deare wisedome bought too late O what auailes it of immortall seed To beene ybred and neuer borne to die Farre better I it deeme to die with speed Then waste in woe and wailefull miserie Who dyes the vtmost dolour doth abye But who that liues is left to waile his losse So life is losse and death felicitie Sad life worse then glad death and greater crosse To see friends graue thē dead the graue selfe to engrosse But if the heauens did his dayes enuie And my short blisse maligne yet mote they well Thus much afford me ere that he did die That the dim eyes of my deare Marinell I mote haue closed and him bed farewell Sith other offices for mother meet They would not graunt Yet maulgre them farewell my sweetest sweet Farewell my sweetest sonne sith we no more shall meet Thus when they all had sorrowed their fill They softly gan to search his griesly wound And that they might him handle more at will They him disarm'd and spredding on the ground Their watchet mantles frindgd with siluer round They softly wipt away the gelly blood From th'orifice which hauing well vpbound They pourd in soueraine balme and Nectar good Good both for earthly med'cine and for heauenly food Tho when the lilly handed Liagore This Liagore whylome had learned skill In leaches craft by great Appolloes lore Sith her whylome vpon high Pindus hill He loued and at last her wombe did fill With heauenly seed whereof wise Paeon sprong Did feele his pulse she knew their staied still Some litle life his feeble sprites emong Which to his mother told despeire she from her flong Tho vp him taking in their tender hands They easily vnto her charet beare Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare And strow with flowres the lamentable beare Then all the rest into their coches clim And through the brackish waues their passage sheare Vpon great Neptunes necke they softly swim And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him Deepe in the bottome of the sea her bowre Is built of hollow billowes heaped hye Like to thicke cloudes that threat a stormy showre And vauted all within like to the sky In which the Gods do dwell eternally There they him laid in easie couch well dight And sent in haste for Tryphon to apply Salues to his wounds and medicines of might For Tryphon of sea gods the soueraine leach is hight The whiles the Nymphes sit all about him round Lamenting his mishap and heauy plight And oft his mother vewing his wide wound Cursed the hand that did so deadly smight Her dearest sonne her dearest harts delight But none of all those curses ouertooke The warlike Maid th'ensample of that might But fairely well she thriu'd and well did brooke Her noble deeds ne her right course for ought forsooke Yet did false Archimage her still pursew To bring to passe his mischieuous intent Now that he had her singled from the crew Of courteous knights the Prince and Faery
seruice may I do vnto thee meete That hast from darkenesse me returnd to light And with thy heauenly salues and med'cines sweete Hast drest my sinfull wounds I kisse thy blessed feete Thereat she blushing said Ah gentle Squire Nor Goddesse I nor Angell but the Mayd And daughter of a woody Nymphe desire No seruice but thy safety and ayd Which if thou gaine I shal be well apayd We mortall wights whose liues and fortunes bee To commun accidents still open layd Are bound with commun bond of frailtee To succour wretched wights whom we captiued see By this her Damzels which the former chace Had vndertaken after her arriu'd As did Belphoebe in the bloudy place And thereby deemd the beast had bene depriu'd Of life whom late their Ladies arrow ryu'd For thy the bloudy tract they follow fast And euery one to runne the swiftest stryu'd But two of them the rest far ouerpast And where their Lady was arriued at the last Where when they saw that goodly boy with blood Defowled and their Lady dresse his wownd They wondred much and shortly vnderstood How him in deadly case their Lady fownd And reskewed out of the heauy stownd Eftsoones his warlike courser which was strayd Farre in the woods whiles that he lay in swownd She made those Damzels search which being stayd They did him set thereon and forthwith them conuayd Into that forest farre they thence him led Where was their dwelling in a pleasant glade With mountaines round about enuironed And mighty woods which did the valley shade And like a stately Theatre it made Spreading it selfe into a spatious plaine And in the midst a little riuer plaide Emongst the pumy stones which seemd to plaine With gentle murmure that his course they did restraine Beside the same a dainty place there lay Planted with mirtle trees and laurels greene In which the birds song many a louely lay Of gods high prayse and of their loues sweet teene As it an earthly Paradize had beene In whose enclosed shadow there was pight A faire Pauilion scarcely to be seene The which was all within most richly dight That greatest Princes liuing it mote well delight Thither they brought that wounded Squire and layd In easie couch his feeble limbes to rest He rested him a while and then the Mayd His ready wound with better salues new drest Dayly she dressed him and did the best His grieuous hurt to garish that she might That shortly she his dolour hath redrest And his foule sore reduced to faire plight It she reduced but himselfe destroyed quight O foolish Physick and vnfruitfull paine That heales vp one and makes another wound She his hurt thigh to him recur'd againe But hurt his hart the which before was sound Through an vnwary dart which did rebound From her faire eyes and gracious countenaunce What bootes it him from death to be vnbound To be captiued in endlesse duraunce Of sorrow and despaire without aleggeaunce Still as his wound did gather and grow hole So still his hart woxe sore and health decayd Madnesse to saue a part and lose the whole Still whenas he beheld the heauenly Mayd Whiles dayly plaisters to his wound she layd So still his Malady the more increast The whiles her matchlesse beautie him dismayd Ah God what other could he do at least But loue so faire a Lady that his life releast Long while he stroue in his courageous brest With reason dew the passion to subdew And loue for to dislodge out of his nest Still when her excellencies he did vew Her soueraigne bounty and celestiall hew The same to loue he strongly was constraind But when his meane estate he did renew He from such hardy boldnesse was restraind And of his lucklesse lot and cruell loue thus plaind Vnthankfull wretch said he is this the meed With which her soueraigne mercy thou doest quight Thy life she saued by her gracious deed But thou doest weene with villeinous despight To blot her honour and her heauenly light Dye rather dye then so disloyally Deeme of her high desert or seeme so light Faire death it is to shonne more shame to dy Dye rather dy then euer loue disloyally But if to loue disloyalty it bee Shall I then hate her that from deathes dore Me brought ah farre be such reproch fro mee What can I lesse do then her loue therefore Sith I her dew reward cannot restore Dye rather dye and dying do her serue Dying her serue and liuing her adore Thy life she gaue thy life she doth deserue Dye rather dye then euer from her seruice swerue But foolish boy what bootes thy seruice bace To her to whom the heauens do serue and sew Thou a meane Squire of meeke and lowly place She heauenly borne and of celestiall hew How then of all loue taketh equall vew And doth not highest God vouchsafe to take The loue and seruice of the basest crew If she will not dye meekly for her sake Dye rather dye then euer so faire loue forsake Thus warreid he long time against his will Till that through weaknesse he was forst at last To yield himselfe vnto the mighty ill Which as a victour proud gan ransack fast His inward parts and all his entrayles wast That neither bloud in face nor life in hart It left but both did quite drye vp and blast As percing leuin which the inner part Of euery thing consumes and calcineth by art Which seeing faire Belphoebe gan to feare Least that his wound were inly well not healed Or that the wicked steele empoysned were Litle she weend that loue he close concealed Yet still he wasted as the snow congealed When the bright sunne his beams thereon doth beat Yet neuer he his hart to her reuealed But rather chose to dye for sorrow great Then with dishonorable termes her to entreat She gracious Lady yet no paines did spare To do him ease or do him remedy Many Restoratiues of vertues rare And costly Cordialles she did apply To mitigate his stubborne mallady But that sweet Cordiall which can restore A loue-sick hart she did to him enuy To him and to all th'vnworthy world forlore She did enuy that soueraigne salue in secret store That dainty Rose the daughter of her Morne More deare then life she tendered whose flowre The girlond of her honour did adorne Ne suffred she the Middayes scorching powre Ne the sharp Northerne wind thereon to showre But lapped vp her silken leaues most chaire When so the froward skye began to lowre But soone as calmed was the Christall aire She did it faire dispred and let to florish faire Eternall God in his almighty powre To make ensample of his heauenly grace In Paradize whilome did plant this flowre Whence he it fetcht out of her natiue place And did in stocke of earthly flesh enrace That mortall men her glory should admire In gentle Ladies brest and bounteous race Of woman kind it fairest flowre doth spire And beareth fruit of honour and all chast
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
beauty doth her bounty far surpasse The which to him both far vnequall yeares And also far vnlike conditions has For she does ioy to play emongst her peares And to be free from hard restraint and gealous feares But he is old and withered like hay Vnfit faire Ladies seruice to supply The priuie guilt whereof makes him alway Suspect her truth and keepe continuall spy Vpon her with his other blincked eye Ne suffreth he resort of liuing wight Approch to her ne keepe her company But in close bowre her mewes from all mens sight Depriu'd of kindly ioy and naturall delight Malbecco he and Hellenore she hight Vnfitly yokt together in one teeme That is the cause why neuer any knight It suffred here to enter but he seeme Such as no doubt of him he neede misdeeme Thereat Sir Satyrane gan smile and say Extremely mad the man I surely deeme That weenes with watch and hard restraint to stay A womans will which is disposd to go astray In vaine he feares that which he cannot shonne For who wotes not that womans subtiltyes Can guilen Argus when she list misdonne It is not yron bandes nor hundred eyes Nor brasen walls nor many wakefull spyes That can withhold her wilfull wandring feet But fast good will with gentle curtesyes And timely seruice to her pleasures meet May her perhaps containe that else would algates fleet Then is he not more mad said Paridell That hath himselfe vnto such seruice sold In dolefull thraldome all his dayes to dwell For sure a foole I do him firmely hold That loues his fetters though they were of gold But why do we deuise of others ill Whiles thus we suffer this same dotard old To keepe vs out in scorne of his owne will And rather do not ransack all and him selfe kill Nay let vs first said Satyrane entreat The man by gentle meanes to let vs in And afterwardes affray with cruell threat Ere that we to efforce it do begin Then if all fayle we will by force it win And eke reward the wretch for his mesprise As may be worthy of his haynous sin That counsell pleasd then Paridell did rise And to the Castle gate approcht in quiet wise Whereat soft knocking entrance he desyrd The good man selfe which then the Porter playd Him answered that all were now retyrd Vnto their rest and all the keyes conuayd Vnto their maister who in bed was layd That none him durst awake out of his dreme And therefore them of patience gently prayd Then Paridell began to chaunge his theme And threatned him with force punishment extreme But all in vaine for nought mote him relent And now so long before the wicket fast They wayted that the night was forward spent And the faire welkin fowly ouercast Gan blowen vp a bitter stormy blast With shoure and hayle so horrible and dred That this faire many were compeld at last To fly for succour to a little shed The which beside the gate for swine was ordered It fortuned soone after they were gone Another knight whom tempest thither brought Came to that Castle and with earnest mone Like as the rest late entrance deare besought But like so as the rest he prayd for nought For flatly he of entrance was refusd Sorely thereat he was displeasd and thought How to auenge himselfe so sore abusd And euermore the Carle of curtesie accusd But to auoyde th'intollerable stowre He was compeld to seeke some refuge neare And to that shed to shrowd him from the showre He came which full of guests he found why leare So as he was not let to enter there Whereat he gan to wex exceeding wroth And swore that he would lodge with them yfere Or them dislodge all were they liefe orloth And defide them each and so defide them both Both were full loth to leaue that needfull tent And both full loth in darkenesse to debate Yet both full liefe him lodging to haue lent And both full liefe his boasting to abate But chiefly Paridell his hart did grate To heare him threaten so despightfully As if he did a dogge to kenell rate That durst not barke and rather had he dy Then when he was deside in coward cornerly Tho hastily remounting to his steed He forth issew'd like as a boistrous wind Which in th'earthes hollow caues hath long bin hid And shut vp fast within her prisons blind Makes the huge element against her kind To moue and tremble as it were agast Vntill that it an issew forth may find Then forth it breakes and with his furious blast Confounds both land seas and skyes doth ouercast Their steel-hed speares they strongly coucht and met Together with impetuous rage and forse That with the terrour of their fierce affret They rudely droue to ground both man and horse That each awhile lay like a sencelesse corse But Paridell sore brused with the blow Could not arise the counterchaunge to scorse Till that young Squire him reared from below Then drew he his bright sword gan about him throw But Satyrane forth stepping did them stay And with faire treatie pacifide their ire Then when they were accorded from the fray Against that Castles Lord they gan conspire To heape on him dew vengeaunce for his hire They bene agreed and to the gates they goe To burne the same with vnquenchable fire And that vncurteous Carle their commune foe To do fowle death to dye or wrap in grieuous woe Malbecco seeing them resolu'd in deed To flame the gates and hearing them to call For fire in earnest ran with fearefull speed And to them calling from the castle wall Besought them humbly him to beare with all As ignoraunt of seruants bad abuse And slacke attendaunce vnto straungers call The knights were willing all things to excuse Though nought beleu'd entraūce late did not refuse They bene ybrought into a comely bowre And seru'd of all things that mote needfull bee Yet secretly their hoste did on them lowre And welcomde more for feare then charitee But they dissembled what they did not see And welcomed themselues Each gan vndight Their garments wet and weary armour free To dry them selues by Vulcanes flaming light And eke their lately bruzed parts to bring in plight And eke that straunger knight emongst the rest Was for like need enforst to disaray Tho whenas vailed was her loftie crest Her golden locks that were in tramels gay Vpbounden did them selues adowne display And raught vnto her heeles like sunny beames That in a cloud their light did long time stay Their vapour vaded shew their golden gleames And through the persant aire shoote forth their azure streames She also dofte her heauy haberieon Which the faire feature of her limbs did hyde And her well plighted frock which she did won To tucke about her short when she did ryde She low let fall that flowd from her lanck syde Downe to her foot with carelesse modestee Then of them all she plainly was espyde To be a woman
the fresh Swayne would not his leasure dwell But went his way whom when he passed kend He vp remounted light and after faindto wend. Perdy nay said Malbecco shall ye not But let him passe as lightly as he came For litle good of him is to be got And mickle perill to be put to shame But let vs go to seeke my dearest Dame Whom he hath left in yonder forrest wyld For of her safety in great doubt I am Least saluage beastes her person haue despoyld Then all the world is lost and we in vaine haue toyld The all agree and forward them addrest Ah but said craftie Trompart weete ye well That yonder in that wastefull wildernesse Huge monsters haunt and many dangers dwell Dragons and Minotaures and feendes of hell And many wilde woodmen which robbe and rend All trauellers therefore aduise ye well Before ye enterprise that way to wend One may his iourney bring too soone to euill end Malbecco stopt in great astonishment And with pale eyes fast fixed on the rest Their counsell crau'd in daunger imminent Said Trompart you that are the most opprest With burden of great treasure I thinke best Here for to stay in safetie behind My Lord and I will search the wide forrest That counsell pleased not Malbeccoes mind For he was much affraid himselfe alone to find Then is it best said he that ye doe leaue Your treasure here in some securitie Either fast closed in some hollow greaue Or buried in the ground from ieopardie Till we returne againe in safetie As for vs two least doubt of vs ye haue Hence farre away we will blindfolded lie Ne priuie be vnto your treasures graue It pleased so he did Then they march forward braue Now when amid the thickest woods they were They heard a noyse of many bagpipes shrill And shrieking Hububs them approching nere Which all the forrest did with horror fill That dreadfull sound the boasters hart did thrill With such amazement that in haste he fled Ne euer looked backe for good or ill And after him eke fearefull Trompart sped The old man could not fly but fell to ground halfe ded Yet afterwards close creeping as he might He in a bush did hide his fearefull hed The iolly Satyres full of fresh delight Came dauncing forth and with them nimbly led Faire Helenore with girlonds all bespred Whom their May-lady they had newly made She proud of that new honour which they red And of their louely fellowship full glade Daunst liuely and her face did with a Lawrell shade The silly man that in the thicket lay Saw all this goodly sport and grieued sore Yet durst he not against it doe or say But did his hart with bitter thoughts engore To see th' vnkindnesse of his Hellenore All day they daunced with great lustihed And with their horned feet the greene grasse wore The whiles their Gotes vpon the brouzes fed Till drouping Phoebus gan to hide his golden hed Tho vp they gan their merry pypes to trusse And all their goodly heards did gather round But euery Satyre first did giue a busse To Hellenore so busses did abound Now gan the humid vapour shed the ground With perly deaw and th'Earthes gloomy shade Did dim the brightnesse of the welkin round That euery bird and beast awarned made To shrowd themselues whiles sleepe their senses did inuade Which when Melbecco saw out of his bush Vpon his hand and feete he crept full light And like a Gote emongst the Gotes did rush That through the helpe of his faire hornes on hight And misty dampe of misconceiuing night And eke through likenesse of his gotish beard He did the better counterfeite aright So home he marcht emongst the horned heard That none of all the Satyres him espyde or heard At night when all they went to sleepe he vewd Whereas his louely wife emongst them lay Embraced of a Satyre rough and rude Who all the night did minde his ioyous play Nine times he heard him come aloft ere day That all his hart with gealosie did swell But yet that nights ensample did bewray That not for nought his wife them loued so well When one so oft a night did ring his matins bell So closely as he could he to them crept When wearie of their sport to sleepe they fell And to his wife that now full soundly slept He whispered in her eare and did her tell That it was he which by her side did dwell And therefore prayd her wake to heare him plaine As one out of a dreame not waked well She turned her and returned backe againe Yet her for to awake he did the more constraine At last with irkesome trouble she abrayd And then perceiuing that it was indeed Her old Malbecco which did her vpbrayd With loosenesse of her loue and loathly deed She was astonisht with exceeding dreed And would haue wakt the Satyre by her syde But he her prayd for mercy or for meed To saue his life ne let him be descryde But hearken to his lore and all his counsell hyde Tho gan he her perswade to leaue that lewd And loathsome life of God and man abhord And home returne where all should be renewd With perfect peace and bandes of fresh accord And she receiu'd againe to bed and bord As if no trespasse euer had bene donne But she it all refused at one word And by no meanes would to his will be wonne But chose emongst the iolly Satyres still to wonne He wooed her till day springs he espyde But all in vaine and then turnd to the heard Who butted him with hornes on euery syde And trode downe in the durt where his hore beard Was fowly dight and he of death afeard Early before the heauens fairest light Out of the ruddy East was fully reard The heardes out of their foldes were loosed quight And he emongst the rest crept forth in sory plight So soone as he the Prison dore did pas He ran as fast as both his feete could beare And neuer looked who behind him was Ne scarsely who before like as a Beare That creeping close amongst the hiues to reare An hony combe the wakefull dogs espy And him assayling sore his carkasse teare That hardly he with life away does fly Ne stayes till safe himselfe he see from ieopardy Ne stayd he till he came vnto the place Where late his treasure he entombed had Where when he found it not for Trompart bace Had it purloyned for his maister bad With extreme fury he became quite mad And ran away ran with himselfe away That who so straungely had him seene bestad With vpstart haire and staring eyes dismay From Limbo lake him late escaped sure would say High ouer hilles and ouer dales he fled As if the wind him on his winges had borne Ne banck nor bush could stay him when he sped His nimble feet as treading still on thorne Griefe and despight and gealosie and scorne Did all the way him follow hard behind And
hand was faine his steede to guyde And all the way from trotting hard to spare So was his toyle the more the more that was his care At length they spide where towards them with speed A Squire came gallopping as he would flie Bearing a litle Dwarfe before his steed That all the way full loud for aide did crie That seem'd his shrikes would rend the brasen skie Whom after did a mightie man pursew Ryding vpon a Dromedare on hie Of stature huge and horrible of hew That would haue maz'd a man his dreadfull face to vew For from his fearefull eyes two fierie beames More sharpe then points of needles did proceede Shooting forth farre away two flaming streames Full of sad powre that poysonous bale did breede To all that on him lookt without good heed And secretly his enemies did slay Like as the Basiliske of serpents seede From powrefull eyes close venim doth conuay Into the lookers hart and killeth farre away He all the way did rage at that same Squire And after him full many threatnings threw With curses vaine in his auengefull ire But none of them so fast away he flew Him ouertooke before he came in vew Where when he saw the Prince in armour bright He cald to him aloud his case to rew And rescue him through succour of his might From that his cruell foe that him pursewd in sight Eftsoones the Prince tooke downe those Ladies twaine From loftie steede and mounting in their stead Came to that Squire yet trembling euery vaine Of whom he gan enquire his cause of dread Who as he gan the same to him aread Loe hard behind his backe his foe was prest With dreadfull weapon aymed at his head That vnto death had doen him vnredrest Had not the noble Prince his readie stroke represt Who thrusting boldly twixt him and the blow The burden of the deadly brunt did beare Vpon his shield which lightly he did throw Ouer his head before the harme came neare Nathlesse it fell with so despiteous dreare And heauie sway that hard vnto his crowne The shield it droue and did the couering reare Therewith both Squire and dwarfe did tomble downe Vnto the earth and lay long while in senselesse swowne Whereat the Prince full wrath his strong right hand In full auengement heaued vp on hie And stroke the Pagan with his steely brand So sore that to his saddle bow thereby He bowed low and so a while did lie And sure had not his massie yron mace Betwixt him and his hurt bene happily It would haue cleft him to the girding place Yet as it was it did astonish him long space But when he to himselfe returnd againe All full of rage he gan to curse and sweare And vow by Mahoune that he should be slaine With that his murdrous mace he vp did reare That seemed nought the souse thereof could beare And therewith smote at him with all his might But ere that it to him approched neare The royall child with readie quicke foresight Did shun the proofe thereof and it auoyded light But ere his hand he could recure againe To ward his bodie from the balefull stound He smote at him with all his might and maine So furiously that ere he wist he found His head before him tombling on the ground The whiles his babling tongue did yet blaspheme And curse his God that did him so confound The whiles his life ran foorth in bloudie streame His soule descended downe into the Stygian reame Which when that Squire beheld he woxe full glad To see his foe breath out his spright in vaine But that same dwarfe right sorie seem'd and sad And howld aloud to see his Lord there slaine And rent his haire and scratcht his face for paine Then gan the Prince at leasure to inquire Of all the accident there hapned plaine And what he was whose eyes did flame with fire All which was thus to him declared by that Squire This mightie man quoth he whom you haue slaine Of an huge Geauntesse whylome was bred And by his strength rule to himselfe did gaine Of many Nations into thraldome led And mightie kingdomes of his force adred Whom yet he conquer'd not by bloudie fight Ne hostes of men with banners brode dispred But by the powre of his infectious sight With which he killed all that came within his might Ne was he euer vanquished afore But euer vanquisht all with whom he fought Ne was there man so strong but he downe bore Ne woman yet so faire but he her brought Vnto his bay and captiued her thought For most of strength and beautie his desire Was spoyle to make and wast them vnto nought By casting secret flakes of lustfull fire From his false eyes into their harts and parts entire Therefore Corflambo was he cald aright Though namelesse there his bodie now doth lie Yet hath he left one daughter that is hight The faire Poeana who seemes outwardly So faire as euer yet saw liuing eie And were her vertue like her beautie bright She were as faire as any vnder skie But ah she giuen is to vaine delight And eke too loose of life and eke of loue too light So as it fell there was a gentle Squire That lou'd a Ladie of high parentage But for his meane degree might not aspire To match so high her friends with counsell sage Dissuaded her from such a disparage But she whose hart to loue was wholly lent Out of his hands could not redeeme her gage But firmely following her first intent Resolu'd with him to wend gainst all her friends consent So twixt themselues they pointed time and place To which when he according did repaire An hard mishap and disauentrous case Him chaunst in stead of his Aemylia faire This Gyants sonne that lies there on the laire An headlesse heape him vnawares there caught And all dismayd through mercilesse despaire Him wretched thrall vnto his dongeon brought Where he remaines of all vnsuccour'd and vnsought This Gyants daughter came vpon a day Vnto the prison in her ioyous glee To view the thrals which there in bondage lay Amongst the rest she chaunced there to see This louely swaine the Squire of low degree To whom she did her liking lightly cast And wooed him her paramour to bee From day to day she woo'd and prayd him fast And for his loue him promist libertie at last He though affide vnto a former loue To whom his faith he firmely ment to hold Yet seeing not how thence he mote remoue But by that meanes which fortune did vnfold Her graunted loue but with affection cold To win her grace his libertie to get Yet she him still detaines in captiue hold Fearing least if she should him freely set He would her shortly leaue and former loue forget Yet so much fauour she to him hath hight Aboue the rest that he sometimes may space And walke about her gardens of delight Hauing a keeper still with him in place Which keeper is this Dwarfe her
was betraide Then gan she loudly cry and weepe and waile And that same Squire of treason to vpbraide But all in vaine her plaints might not preuaile Ne none there was to reskue her ne none to baile Then tooke he that same Dwarfe and him compeld To open vnto him the prison dore And forth to bring those thrals which there he held Thence forth were brought to him aboue a score Of Knights and Squires to him vnknowne afore All which he did from bitter bondage free And vnto former liberty restore Amongst the rest that Squire of low degree Came forth full weake and wan not like him selfe to bee Whom soone as faire Aemylia beheld And Placidas they both vnto him ran And him embracing fast betwixt them held Striuing to comfort him all that they can And kissing oft his visage pale and wan That faire Paeana them beholding both Gan both enuy and bitterly to ban Through iealous passion weeping inly wroth To see the sight perforce that both her eyes were loth But when a while they had together beene And diuersly conferred of their case She though full oft she both of them had seene Asunder yet not euer in one place Began to doubt when she them saw embrace Which was the captiue Squire she lou'd so deare Deceiued through great likenesse of their face For they so like in person did appeare That she vneath discerned whether whether weare And eke the Prince when as he them auized Their like resemblaunce much admired there And mazd how nature had so well disguized Her worke and counterfet her selfe so nere As if that by one patterne seene somewhere She had them made a paragone to be Or whether it through skill or errour were Thus gazing long at them much wondred he So did the other knights and Squires which him did see Then gan they ransacke that same Castle strong In which he found great store of hoorded threasure The which that tyrant gathered had by wrong And tortious powre without respect or measure Vpon all which the Briton Prince made seasure And afterwards continu'd there a while To rest him selfe and solace in soft pleasure Those weaker Ladies after weary toile To whom he did diuide part of his purchast spoile And for more ioy that captiue Lady faire The faire Paeana he enlarged free And by the rest did set in sumptuous chaire To feastand frollicke nathemore would she Shew gladsome countenaunce nor pleasaunt glee But grieued was for losse both of her sire And eke of Lordship with both land and fee But most she touched was with griefe entire For losse of her new loue the hope of her desire But her the Prince through his well wonted grace To better termes of myldnesse did entreat From that fowle rudenesse which did her deface And that same bitter corsiue which did eat Her tender heart and made refraine from meat He with good thewes and speaches well applyde Did mollifie and calme her raging heat For though she were most faire and goodly dyde Yet she it all did mar with cruelty and pride And for to shut vp all in friendly loue Sith loue was first the ground of all her griefe That trusty Squire he wisely well did moue Not to despise that dame which lou'd him liefe Till he had made of her some better priefe But to accept her to his wedded wife Thereto he offred for to make him chiefe Of all her land and lordship during life He yeelded and her tooke so stinted all their strife From that day forth in peace and ioyous blis They liu'd together long without debate Ne priuate iarre ne spite of enemis Could shake the safe assuraunce of their state And she whom Nature did so faire create That she mote match the fairest of her daies Yet with lewd loues and lust intemperate Had it defaste thenceforth reformd her waies That all men much admyrde her change and spake her praise Thus when the Prince had perfectly compylde These paires of friends in peace and setled rest Him selfe whose minde did trauell as with chylde Of his old loue conceau'd in secret brest Resolued to pursue his former guest And taking leaue of all with him did beare Faire Amoret whom Fortune by bequest Had left in his protection whileare Exchanged out of one into an other feare Feare of her safety did her not constraine For well she wist now in a mighty hond Her person late in perill did remaine Who able was all daungers to withstond But now in feare of shame she more did stond Seeing her selfe all soly succourlesse Left in the victors powre like vassall bond Whose will her weakenesse could no way represse In case his burning lust should breake into excesse But cause of feare sure had she none at all Of him who goodly learned had of yore The course of loose affection to forstall And lawlesse lust to rule with reasons lore That all the while he by his side her bore She was as safe as in a Sanctuary Thus many miles they two together wore To seeke their loues dispersed diuersly Yet neither shewed to other their hearts priuity At length they came whereas a troupe of Knights They saw together skirmishing as seemed Sixe they were all all full offell despight But foure of them the battell best beseemed That which of them was best mote not be deemed Those foure were they from whom false Florimell By Braggadochio lately was redeemed To weet sterne Druon and lewd Claribell Loue-lauish Blandamour and lustfull Paridell Druons delight was all in single life And vnto Ladies loue would lend no leasure The more was Claribell enraged rise With feruent flames and loued out of measure So eke lou'd Blandamour but yet at pleasure Would change his liking and new Lemans proue But Paridell of loue did make no threasure But lusted after all that him did moue So diuersly these foure disposed were to loue But those two other which beside them stoode Were Britomart and gentle Scudamour Who all the while beheld their wrathfull moode And wondred at their impacable stoure Whose like they neuer saw till that same houre So dreadfull strokes each did at other driue And laid on load with all their might and powre As if that euery dint the ghost would riue Out of their wretched corses and their liues depriue As when Dan AEolus in great displeasure For losse of his deare loue by Neptune hent Sends forth the winds out of his hidden threasure Vpon the sea to wreake his fell intent They breaking forth with rude vnruliment From all foure parts of heauen doe rage full sore And tosse the deepes and teare the firmament And all the world confound with wide vprore As if in stead thereof they Chaos would restore Cause of their discord and so fell debate Was for the loue of that same snowy maid Whome they had lost in Turneyment of late And seeking long to weet which way she straid Met here together where through lewd vpbraide Of Ate and Duessa
vext But this same both her selfe and others eke perplext Her face was vgly and her mouth distort Foming with poyson round about her gils In which her cursed tongue full sharpe and short Appear'd like Aspis sting that closely kils Or cruelly does wound whom so she wils A distaffe in her other hand she had Vpon the which she litle spinnes but spils And faynes to weaue false tales and leasings bad To throw amongst the good which others had disprad These two now had themselues combynd in one And linckt together gainst Sir Artegall For whom they wayted as his mortall fone How they might make him into mischiefe fall For freeing from their snares Irena thrall Besides vnto themselues they gotten had A monster which the Blatant beast men call A dreadfull feend of gods and men ydrad Whom they by slights allur'd and to their purpose lad Such were these Hags and so vnhandsome drest Who when they nigh approching had espyde Sir Artegall return'd from his late quest They both arose and at him loudly cryde As it had bene two shepheards curres had scryde A rauenous Wolfe amongst the scattered flockes And Enuie first as she that first him eyde Towardes him runs and with rude flaring lockes About her eares does beat her brest forhead knockes Then from her mouth the gobbet she does take The which whyleare she was so greedily Deuouring euen that halfe-gnawen snake And at him throwes it most despightfully The cursed Serpent though she hungrily Earst chawd thereon yet was not all so dead But that some life remayned secretly And as he past afore withouten dread Bit him behind that long the marke was to be read Then th' other comming neare gan him reuile And fouly rayle with all she could inuent Saying that he had with vnmanly guile And foule abusion both his honour blent And that bright sword the sword of Iustice lent Had stayned with reprochfull crueltie In guiltlesse blood of many an innocent As for Grandtorto him with treacherie And traynes hauing surpriz'd he fouly did to die Thereto the Blatant beast by them set on At him began aloud to barke and bay With bitter rage and fell contention That all the woods and rockes nigh to that way Began to quake and tremble with dismay And all the aire rebellowed againe So dreadfully his hundred tongues did bray And euermore those hags them selues did paine To sharpen him and their owne cursed tongs did straine And still among most bitter wordes they spake Most shamefull most vnrighteous most vntrew That they the mildest man aliue would make Forget his patience and yeeld vengeaunce dew To her that so false sclaunders at him threw And more to make thē pierce wound more deepe She with the sting which in her vile tongue grew Did sharpen them and in fresh poyson steepe Ye the past on and seem'd of them to take no keepe But Talus hearing her so lewdly raile And speake so ill of him that well deserued Would her haue chastiz'd with his yron flaile If her Sir Artegall had not preserued And him forbidden who his heast obserued So much the more at him still did she scold And stones did cast yet he for nought would swerue From his right course but still the way did hold To Faery Court where what him fell shall else be told THE SIXTE BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE Contayning THE LEGEND OF S. CALIDORE OR OF COVRTESIE THe waies through which my weary steps I guyde In this delightfull land of Faery Are so exceeding spacious and wyde And sprinckled with such sweet variety Of all that pleasant is to eare or eye That I nigh rauisht with rare thoughts delight My tedious trauell doe forget thereby And when I gin to feele decay of might tI strength to me supplies chears my dulled spright Such secret comfort and such heauenly pleasures Ye sacred imps that on Parnasso dwell And there the keeping haue of learnings threasures Which doe all worldly riches farre excell Into the mindes of mortall men doe well And goodly fury into them infuse Guyde ye my footing and conduct me well In these strange waies where neuer foote did vse Ne none can find but who was taught them by the Muse Reuele to me the sacred noursery Of vertue which with you doth there remaine Where it in siluer bowre does hidden ly From view of men and wicked worlds disdaine Since it at first was by the Gods with paine Planted in earth being deriu'd at furst From heauenly seedes of bounty soueraine And by them long with carefull labour nurst Till it to ripenesse grew and forth to honour burst Amongst them all growes not a fayrer flowre Then is the bloosme of comely courtesie Which though it on a lowly stalke doe bowre Yet brancheth forth in braue nobilitie And spreds it selfe through all ciuilitie Of which though present age doe plenteous seeme Yet being matcht with plaine Antiquitie Ye will them all but fayned showes esteeme Which carry colours faire that feeble eies misdeeme But in the triall of true curtesie It s now so farre from that which then it was That it indeed is nought but forgerie Fashion'd to please the eies of them that pas Which see not perfect things but in a glas Yet is that glasse so gay that it can blynd The wisest sight to thinke gold that is bras But vertues seat is deepe within the mynd And not in outward shows but inward thoughts defynd But where shall I in all Antiquity So faire a patterne finde where may be seene The goodly praise of Princely curtesie As in your selfe O soueraine Lady Queene In whose pure minde as in a mirrour sheene It showes and with her brightnesse doth inflame The eyes of all which thereon fixed beene But meriteth indeede an higher name Yet so from low to high vplifted is your name Then pardon me most dreaded Soueraine That from your selfe I doe this vertue bring And to your selfe doe it returne againe So from the Ocean all riuers spring And tribute backe repay as to their King Right so from you all goodly vertues well Into the rest which round about you ring Faire Lords and Ladies which about you dwell And doe adorne your Court where courtesies excell Cant. I. Calidore saues from Maleffort A Damzell vsed vylde Doth vanquish Crudor and doth make Briana wexe more mylde OF Court it seemes men Courtesie doe call For that it there most vseth to abound And well beseemeth that in Princes hall That vertue should be plentifully found Which of all goodly manners is the ground And roote of ciuill conuersation Right so in Faery court it did redound Where curteous Knights and Ladies most did won Of all on earth and made a matchlesse paragon But mongst them all was none more courteous Knight Then Calidore beloued ouer all In whom it seemes that gentlenesse of spright And manners mylde were planted naturall To which he adding comely guize withall And gracious speach did steale mens hearts away Nathlesse
what as serues the simple clowne That doth despise the dainties of the towne Tho hauing fed his fill he there besyde Saw a faire damzell which did weare a crowne Of sundry flowres with silken ribbands tyde Yclad in home-made greene that her owne hands had dyde Vpon a litle hillocke she was placed Higher then all the rest and round about Enuiron'd with a girland goodly graced Of louely lasses and them all without The lustie shepheard swaynes sate in a rout The which did pype and sing her prayses dew And oft reioyce and oft for wonder shout As if some miracle of heauenly hew Were downe to them descended in that earthly vew And soothly sure she was full fayre of face And perfectly well shapt in euery lim Which she did more augment with modest grace And comely carriage of her count'nance trim That all the rest like lesser lamps did dim Who her admiring as some heauenly wight Did for their soueraine goddesse her esteeme And caroling her name both day and night The fayrest Pastorella her by name did hight Ne was there heard ne was there shepheards swayne But her did honour and eke many a one Burnt in her loue and with sweet pleasing payne Full many a night for her did sigh and grone But most of all the shepheard Coridon For her did languish and his deare life spend Yet neither she for him nor other none Did care a whit ne any liking lend Though meane her lot yet higher did her mind ascend Her whyles Sir Calidore there vewed well And markt her rare demeanure which him seemed So farre the meane of shepheards to excell As that he in his mind her worthy deemed To be a Princes Paragone esteemed He was vnwares surprisd in subtile bands Of the blynd boy ne thence could be redeemed By any skill out of his cruell hands Caught like the bird which gazing still on others stands So stood he still long gazing thereupon Ne any will had thence to moue away Although his quest were farre afore him gon But after he had fed yet did he stay And sate there still vntill the flying day Was farre forth spent discoursing diuersly Of sundry things as fell to worke delay And euermore his speach he did apply To th'heards but meant them to the damzels fantazy By this the moystie night approching fast Her deawy humour gan on th' earth to shed That warn'd the shepheards to their homes to hast Their tender flocks now being fully fed For feare of wetting them before their bed Then came to them a good old aged syre Whose siluer lockes bedeckt his beard and hed With shepheards hooke in hand and fit attyre That wild the damzell rise the day did now expyre He was to weet by common voice esteemed The father of the fayrest Pastorell And of her selfe in very deede so deemed Yet was not so but as old stories tell Found her by fortune which to him befell In th' open fields an Infant left alone And taking vp brought home and noursed well As his owne chyld for other he had none That she in tract of time accompted was his owne She at his bidding meekely did arise And streight vnto her litle flocke did fare Then all the rest about her rose likewise And each his sundrie sheepe with seuerall care Gathered together and them homeward bare Whylest euerie one with helping hands did striue Amongst themselues and did their labours share To helpe faire Pastorella home to driue Her fleecie flocke but Coridon most helpe did giue But Meliboee so hight that good old man Now seeing Calidore left all alone And night arriued hard at hand began Him to inuite vnto his simple home Which though it were a cottage clad with lome And all things therein meane yet better so To lodge then in the saluage fields to rome The knight full gladly soone agreed thereto Being his harts owne wish and home with him did go There he was welcom'd of that honest syre And of his aged Beldame homely well Who him besought himselfe to disattyre And rest himselfe till supper time befell By which home came the fayrest Pastorell After her flocke she in their fold had tyde And supper readie dight they to it fell With small adoe and nature satisfyde The which doth litle craue contented to abyde Tho when they had their hunger slaked well And the fayre mayd the table ta'ne away The gentle knight as he that did excell In courtesie and well could doe and say For so great kindnesse as he found that day Gan greatly thanke his host and his good wife And drawing thence his speach another way Gan highly to commend the happie life Which Shepheards lead without debate or bitter strife How much sayd he more happie is the state In which ye father here doe dwell at ease Leading a life so free and fortunate From all the tempests of these worldly seas Which tosse the rest in daungerous disease Where warres and wreckes and wicked enmitie Doe them afflict which no man can appease That certes I your happinesse enuie And wish my lot were plast in such felicitie Surely my sonne then answer'd he againe If happie then it is in this intent That hauing small yet doe I not complaine Of want ne wish for more it to augment But doe my selfe with that I haue content So taught of nature which doth litle need Of forreine helpes to lifes due nourishment The fields my food my flocke my rayment breed No better doe I weare no better doe I feed Therefore I doe not any one enuy Nor am enuyde of any one therefore They that haue much feare much to loose thereby And store of cares doth follow riches store The litle that I haue growes dayly more Without my care but onely to attend it My lambes doe euery yeare increase their score And my flockes father daily doth amend it What haue I but to praise th' Almighty that doth send it To them that list the worlds gay showes I leaue And to great ones such follies doe forgiue Which oft through pride do their owne perill weaue And through ambition downe themselues doe driue To sad decay that might contented liue Me no such cares nor combrous thoughts offend Ne once my minds vnmoued quiet grieue But all the night in siluer sleepe I spend And all the day to what I list I doe attend Sometimes I hunt the Fox the vowed foe Vnto my Lambes and him dislodge away Sometime the fawne I practise from the Doe Or from the Goat her kidde how to conuay Another while I baytes and nets display The birds to catch or fishes to beguyle And when I wearie am I downe doe lay My limbes in euery shade to rest from toyle And drinke of euery brooke when thirst my throte doth boyle The time was once in my first prime of yeares When pride of youth forth pricked my desire That I disdain'd amongst mine equall peares To follow sheepe and shepheards base attire For further fortune then I
Colin clout should pipe as one most fit And Calidore should lead the ring as hee That most in Pastorellaes grace did sit Thereat frown'd Coridon and his lip closely bit But Calidore of courteous inclination Tooke Coridon and set him in his place That he should lead the daunce as was his fashion For Coridon could daunce and trimly trace And when as Pastorella him to grace Her flowry garlond tooke from her owne head And plast on his he did it soone displace And did it put on Coridons in stead Then Coridon woxe frollicke that earst seemed dead Another time when as they did dispose To practise games and maisteries to try They for their Iudge did Pastorella chose A garland was the meed of victory There Coridon forth stepping openly Did chalenge Calidore to wrestling game For he through long and perfect industry Therein well practisd was and in the same Thought sure t' auenge his grudge worke his foe great shame But Calidore he greatly did mistake For he was strong and mightily stiffe pight That with one fall his necke he almost brake And had he not vpon him fallen light His dearest ioynt he sure had broken quight Then was the oaken crowne by Pastorell Giuen to Calidore as his due right But he that did in courtesie excell Gaue it to Coridon and said he wonne it well Thus did the gentle knight himselfe abeare Amongst that rusticke rout in all his deeds That euen they the which his riuals were Could not maligne him but commend him needs For courtesie amongst the rudest breeds Good will and fauour So it surely wrought With this faire Mayd and in her mynde the seeds Of perfect loue did sow that last forth brought The fruite of ioy and blisse though long time dearely bought Thus Calidore continu'd there long time To winne the loue of the faire Pastorell Which hauing got he vsed without crime Or blamefull blot but menaged so well That he of all the rest which there did well Was fauoured and to her grace commended But what straunge fortunes vnto him befell Ere he attain'd the point by him intended Shall more conueniently in other place be ended Cant. X. Calidore sees the Graces daunce To Colins melody The whiles his Pastorell is led Into captiuity WHo now does follow the foule Blatant Beast Whilest Calidore does follow that faire Mayd Vnmyndfull of his vow and high beheast Which by the Faery Queene was on him layd That he should neuer leaue nor be delayd From chacing him till he had it attchieued But now entrapt of loue which him betrayd He mindeth more how he may be relieued With grace from her whose loue his heart hath sore engrieued That from henceforth he meanes no more to sew His former quest so full of toile and paine Another quest another game in vew He hath the guerdon of his loue to gaine With whom he myndes for euer to remaine And set his rest amongst the rusticke sort Rather then hunt still after shadowes vaine Of courtly fauour fed with light report Of euery blaste and sayling alwaies on the port Ne certes mote he greatly blamed be From so high step to stoupe vnto so low For who had tasted once as oft did he The happy peace which there doth ouerflow And prou'd the perfect pleasures which doe grow Amongst poore hyndes in hils in woods in dales Would neuer more delight in painted show Of such false blisse as there is set for stales T' entrap vnwary fooles in their eternall bales For what hath all that goodly glorious gaze Like to one sight which Calidore did vew The glaunce whereof their dimmed eies would daze That neuer more they should endure the shew Of that sunne-shine that makes them looke askew Ne ought in all that world of beauties rare Saue onely Glorianaes heauenly hew To which what can compare can it compare The which as commeth now by course I will declare One day as he did raunge the fields abroad Whilest his faire Pastorella was elsewhere He chaunst to come far from all people 's troad Vnto a place whose pleasaunce did appere To passe all others on the earth which were For all that euer was by natures skill Deuized to worke delight was gathered there And there by her were poured forth at fill As if this to adorne she all the rest did pill It was an hill plaste in an open plaine That round about was bordered with a wood Of matchlesse hight that seem'd th' earth to disdaine In which all trees of honour stately stood And did all winter as in sommer bud Spredding pauilions for the birds to bowre Which in their lower braunches sung aloud And in their tops the soring hauke did towre Sitting like King of fowles in maiesty and powre And at the foote thereof a gentle flud His siluer waues did softly tumble downe Vnmard with ragged mosse or filthy mud Ne mote wylde beastes ne mote the ruder clowne Thereto approch ne filth mote therein drowne But Nymphes and Faeries by the bancks did sit In the woods shade which did the waters crowne Keeping all noysome things away from it And to the waters fall tuning their accents fit And on the top thereof a spacious plaine Did spred it selfe to serue to all delight Either to daunce when they to daunce would faine Or else to course about their bases light Ne ought there wanted which for pleasure might Desired be or thence to banish bale So pleasauntly the hill with equall hight Did seeme to ouerlooke the lowly vale Therefore it rightly cleeped was mount Acidale They say that Venus when she did dispose Her selfe to pleasaunce vsed to resort Vnto this place and therein to repose And rest her selfe as in a gladsome port Or with the Graces there to play and sport That euen her owne Cytheron though in it She vsed most to keepe her royall court And in her soueraine Maiesty to sit She in regard hereof refusde and thought vnfit Vnto this place when as the Elfin Knight Approcht him seemed that the merry sound Of a shrill pipe he playing heard on hight And many feete fast thumping th'hollow ground That through the woods their Eccho did rebound He nigher drew to weete what mote it be There he a troupe of Ladies dauncing found Full merrily and making gladfull glee And in the midst a Shepheard piping he did see He durst not enter into th' open greene For dread of them vnwares to be descryde For breaking of their daunce if he were seene But in the couert of the wood did byde Beholding all yet of them vnespyde There he did see that pleased much his sight That euen he him selfe his eyes enuyde An hundred naked maidens lilly white All raunged in a ring and dauncing in delight All they without were raunged in a ring And daunced round but in the midst of them Three other Ladies did both daunce and sing The whilest the rest them round about did hemme And like a girlond did in compasse stemme And in the
sorrowes heapt on her in greater throng That who so heares her heauinesse would rew And pitty her sad plight so chang'd from pleasaunt hew Whylest thus she in these hellish dens remayned Wrapped in wretched cares and hearts vnrest It so befell as Fortune had ordayned That he which was their Capitaine profest And had the chiefe commaund of all the rest One day as he did all his prisoners vew With lustfull eyes beheld that louely guest Faire Pastorella whose sad mournefull hew Like the faire Morning clad in misty fog did shew At sight whereof his barbarous heart was fired And inly burnt with flames most raging whot That her alone he for his part desired Of all the other pray which they had got And her in mynde did to him selfe allot From that day forth he kyndnesse to her showed And sought her loue by all the meanes he mote With looks with words with gifts he oft her wowed And mixed threats among and much vnto her vowed But all that euer he could doe or say Her constant mynd could not a whit remoue Nor draw vnto the lure of his lewd lay To graunt him fauour or afford him loue Yet ceast he not to sew and all waies proue By which he mote accomplish his request Saying and doing all that mote behoue Ne day nor night he suffred her to rest But her all night did watch and all the day molest At last when him she so importune saw Fearing least he at length the raines would lend Vnto his lust and make his will his law Sith in his powre she was to foe or frend She thought it best for shadow to pretend Some shew of fauour by him gracing small That she thereby mote either freely wend Or at more ease continue there his thrall A little well is lent that gaineth more withall So from thenceforth when loue he to her made With better tearmes she did him entertaine Which gaue him hope and did him halfe perswade That he in time her ioyaunce should obtaine But when she saw through that small fauours gaine That further then she willing was he prest She found no meanes to barre him but to faine A sodaine sickenesse which her sore opprest And made vnfit to serue his lawlesse mindes behest By meanes whereof she would not him permit Once to approch to her in priuity But onely mongst the rest by her to sit Mourning the rigour of her malady And seeking all things meete for remedy But she resolu'd no remedy to fynde Nor better cheare to shew in misery Till Fortune would her captiue bonds vnbynde Her sickenesse was not of the body but the mynde During which space that she thus sicke did lie It chaunst a sort of merchants which were wount To skim those coastes for bondmen there to buy And by such trafficke after gaines to hunt Arriued in this Isle though bare and blunt T' inquire for slaues where being readie met By some of these same theeues at the instant brunt Were brought vnto their Captaine who was set By his faire patients side with sorrowfull regret To whom they shewed how those marchants were Arriu'd in place their bondslaues for to buy And therefore prayd that those same captiues there Mote to them for their most commodity Be sold and mongst them shared equally This their request the Captaine much appalled Yet could he not their iust demaund deny And willed streight the slaues should forth be called And sold for most aduantage not to be forstalled Then forth the good old Meliboe was brought And Coridon with many other moe Whom they before in diuerse spoyles had caught All which he to the marchants sale did showe Till some which did the sundry prisoners knowe Gan to inquire for that faire shepherdesse Which with the rest they tooke not long agoe And gan her forme and feature to expresse The more t' augment her price through praise of comlinesse To whom the Captaine in full angry wize Made answere that the Mayd of whom they spake Was his owne purchase and his onely prize With which none had to doe ne ought partake But he himselfe which did that conquest make Litle for him to haue one silly lasse Besides through sicknesse now so wan and weake That nothing meet in marchandise to passe So shew'd them her to proue how pale weake she was The sight of whom though now decayd and mard And eke but hardly seene by candle-light Yet like a Diamond of rich regard In doubtfull shadow of the darkesome night With starrie beames about her shining bright These marchants fixed eyes did so amaze That what through wonder what through delight A while on her they greedily did gaze And did her greatly like and did her greatly praize At last when all the rest them offred were And prises to them placed at their pleasure They all refused in regard of her Ne ought would buy how euer prisd with measure Withouten her whose worth aboue all threasure They did esteeme and offred store of gold But then the Captaine fraught with more displeasure Bad them be still his loue should not be sold The rest take if they would he her to him would hold Therewith some other of the chiefest theeues Boldly him bad such iniurie forbeare For that same mayd how euer it him greeues Should with the rest be sold before him theare To make the prises of the rest more deare That with great rage he stoutly doth denay And fiercely drawing forth his blade doth sweare That who so hardie hand on her doth lay It dearely shall aby and death for handsell pay Thus as they words amongst them multiply They fall to strokes the frute of too much talke And the mad steele about doth fiercely fly Not sparing wight ne leauing any balke But making way for death at large to walke Who in the horror of the griesly night In thousand dreadful shapes doth mongst them stalke And makes huge hauocke whiles the candlelight Out quenched leaues no skill nor difference of wight Like as a sort of hungry dogs ymet About some carcase by the common way Doe fall together stryuing each to get The greatest portion of the greedie pray All on confused heapes themselues assay And snatch and byte and rend and tug and teare That who them sees would wonder at their fray And who sees not would be affrayd to heare Such was the conflict of those cruell Brigants there But first of all their captiues they doe kill Least they should ioyne against the weaker side Or rise against the remnant at their will Old Meliboe is slaine and him beside His aged wife with many others wide But Coridon escaping craftily Creepes forth of dores whilst darknes him doth hide And flyes away as fast as he can hye Ne stayeth leaue to take before his friends doe dye But Pastorella wofull wretched Elfe Was by the Captaine all this while defended Who minding more her safety then himselfe His target alwayes ouer her pretended By meanes whereof that mote
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