The Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  E. M. W. Tillyard, The Elizabethan World Picture, London, 1943.

  Humphrey Tonkin, Spenser’s Courteous Pastoral: Book Six of the Faerie Queene, Oxford, 1972.

  Rosemond Tuve, Allegorical Imagery: Some Mediaeval Books and Their Posterity, Princeton, 1966.

  Rosemond Tuve, Seasons and Months: Studies in a Tradition of Middle English Poetry, Paris, 1933.

  Rosemond Tuve, Essays by Rosemond Tuve: Spenser, Herbert, Milton, ed. Thomas P. Roche, jr, Princeton, 1970.

  D. Douglas Waters, Duessa as Theological Satire, Columbia, Missouri, 1970.

  William Wells, ed., Spenser Allusions in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Chapel Hill, 1972.

  Arnold Williams, Flower on a Lowly Stalk: The Sixth Book of the Faerie Queene, Michigan State University Press, 1967.

  Kathleen Williams, Spenser’s Faerie Queene: The World of Glass, London, 1966.

  A LETTER OF THE AUTHORS EXPOUNDING HIS

  WHOLE INTENTION IN THE COURSE OF THIS

  WORKE: WHICH FOR THAT IT GIUETH GREAT

  LIGHT TO THE READER, FOR THE BETTER

  VNDERSTANDING IS HEREUNTO ANNEXED.

  To the Right noble, and Valorous, Sir Walter Raleigh knight, Lo. Wardein of the Stanneryes, and her Maiesties liefetenaunt of the County of Cornewayll.

  Sir knowing how doubtfully all Allegories may be construed, and this booke of mine, which I haue entituled the Faery Queene, being a continued Allegory, or darke conceit, I haue thought good aswell for auoyding of gealous opinions and misconstructions, as also for your better light in reading therof, (being so by you commanded,) to discouer vnto you the general intention & meaning, which in the whole course thereof I haue fashioned, without expressing of any particular purposes or by accidents therein occasioned. The generall end there fore of all the booke is to fashion a gentleman or noble person in vertuous and gentle discipline: Which for that I conceiued shoulde be most plausible and pleasing, being coloured with an historicall fiction, the which the most part of men delight to read, rather for variety of matter, then for profite of the ensample: I chose the historye of king Arthure, as most fitte for the excellency of his person, being made famous by many mens former workes, and also farthest from the daunger of enuy, and suspition of present time. In which I haue followed all the antique Poets historicall, first Homere, who in the Persons of Agamemnon and Vlysses hath ensampled a good gouernour and a vertuous man, the one in his Ilias, the other in his Odysseis: then Virgil, whose like intention was to doe in the person of Aeneas: after him Ariosto comprised them both in his Orlando: and lately Tasso disseuered them againe, and formed both parts in two persons, namely that part which they in Philosophy call Ethice, or vertues of a priuate man, coloured in his Rinaldo: The other named Politice in his Godfredo. By ensample of which excellente Poets, I labour to pourtraict in Arthure, before he was king, the image of a braue knight, perfected in the twelue priuate morall vertues, as Aristotle hath deuised, the which is the purpose of these first twelue bookes: which if I finde to be well accepted, I may be perhaps encoraged, to frame the other part of polliticke vertues in his person, after that hee came to be king. To some I know this Methode will seeme displeasaunt, which had rather ham good discipline deliuered plainly in way of precepts, or sermoned at large, as they vse, then thus clowdily enwrapped in Allegoricall deuises. But such, me seeme, should be satisfide with the vse of these dayes seeing all things accounted by their showes, and nothing esteemed of, that is not delightfull and pleasing to commune sence. For this cause is Xenophon preferred be fore Plato, for that the one in the exquisite depth of his iudgement, formed a Commune welth such as it should be, but the other in the person of Cyrus and the Persians fashioned a gouernement such as might best be: So much more profitable and gratious is doctrine by ensample, then by rule. So haue I laboured to doe in the person of Arthure: whome I conceiue after his long education by Timon, to whom he was by Merlin deliuered to be brought vp, so soone as he was borne of the Lady Igrayne, to haue seem in a dream or vision the Faery Queen, with whose excellent beauty rauished, he awaking resolued to seeke her out, and so being by Merlin armed, and by Timon throughly instructed, he went to seeke her forth in Faerye land. In that Faery Queene I meaneglory in my generall intention, but in my particular I conceiue the most excellent and glorious person of our soueraine the Queene, and her kingdome in Faery land. And yet in some places els, I doe otherwise shadow her. For considering she beareth two persons, the one of a most royall Queene or Empresse, the other of a most vertuous and beautifall Lady, this latter part in some places I doe expresse in Belphœbe, fashioning her name according to your owne excellent conceipt of Cynthia, (Phoebe and Cynthia being both names of Diana.) So in the person of Prince Arthure I sette forth magnificence in particular, which vertue for that (according to Aristotle and the rest) it is the perfection of all the rest, and conteineth in it them all, therefore in the whole course I mention the deedes of Arthure apply able to that vertue, which I write of in that booke. But of the xii. other vertues, I make xii. other knights the patrones, for the more variety of the history: Of which these three bookes contayn three. The first of the knight of die Redcrosse, in whome I expresse Holynes: The seconde of Sir Guyon, in in whome I sette forth Temperaunce: The third of Britomartis a Lady knight, in whome I picture Chastity. But because the beginning of the whole worke seemeth abrupte and as depending vpon other antecedents, it needs that ye know the occasion of these three knights seuerall aduentures. For the Methode of a Poet historical is not such, as of an Historiographer. For an Historiographer discourseth of affayres orderly as they were donne, accounting as well the times as the actions, but a Poet thrusteth into the middest, euen where it most concemeih him, and there recoursing to the thinges forepaste, and diuining of thinges to come, maketh a pleasing Analysis of all. The beginning therefore of my history, if it were to be told by an Historiographer should be the twelfth books, which is the last, where I deuise that the Faery Queene kept her Annuall feaste xii. dayes, vppon which xii. seuerall dayes, the occasions of the xii. seuerall aduentures hapned, which being undertaken by xii. seuerall knights, are in these xii books seuerall handled and discoursed. The first was this. In the beginning of the feast, there presented him selfe a tall clownishe younge man, who falling before the Queen of Faries desired a boone (as the manner then was) which during that feast she might not refuse: which was that hee might haue the atchieuement of any aduenture, which during that feaste should happen, that being graunted, he rested him on the floore, vnfitte through his rusticity for a better place. Soone after entred a faire Ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a white Asse, with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed, that bore the Armes of a knight, and his speare in the dwarfes hand. Shee falling before the Queene of Faeries, complayned that her father and mother an ancient King and Queene, had bene by an huge dragon many years shut vp in a brasen Castle, who thence suffred them not to yssew: and therefore besought the Faery Queene to assygne her some one of her knights to take on him that exployt. Presently that clownish person vpstarting, desired that aduenture: whereat the Queene much wondering, and the Lady much gainesaying, yet he earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the Lady told him that vnlesse that armour which she brought, would seme him (that is the armour of a Christian man specified by Saint Paul v. Ephes.) that he could not succeed in that enterprise, which being forthwith put upon him with dewe furnitures thereunto, he seemed the goodliest man in al that company, and was well liked of the Lady. And eftesoones taking on him knighthood, and mounting on that straunge Courser, he went forth with her on that aduenture: where beginneth the first booke, vz.

  A gentle knight was pricking on the playne. &c.

  The second day ther came in a Palmer bearing an Infant with bloody hands, whose Parents he complained to haue bene slayn by an Enchaunteresse called Acrasia: and therfore craned of the Faery Queene, to appoint him some knight, to performe that aduenture, which being assigned to Sir Guyon, he presently went forth with that same Palmer: which is the b
eginning of the second booke and the whole subiect thereof. The third day there came in, a Groome who complained before the Faery Queene, that a vile Enchaunter called Busirane had in hand a most faire Lady called Amoretta, whom he kept in most grieuous torment, because she would not yield him the pleasure her body. Whereupon Sir Scudamour the louer of that Lady presently tooke on him that aduenture. But being vnable to performe it by reason oj the hard Enchauntments, after long sorrow, in the end met with Britomartis, who succoured him, and reskewed his hue.

  But by occasion hereof, many other aduentures are intermedled, but rather as Accidents, then intendments. As the hue oj Britomart, the ouer-throw of Marinell, the misery ojFlorimell, the vertuousnes oj Belphcebe, the lasciuiousnes of Hellenora, and many the like.

  Thus much Sir, I haue briefly ouerronne to direct your vnderstanding to the wel-head of the History, that from thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may as in a handfull gripe al the discourse, which otherwise may happily seeme tedious and confused. So humbly crauing the continuaunce of your honorable fauour towards me, and th’eternall establishment of your happines, I humbly take leaue.

  23. January. 1589.

  Yours most humbly affectionate.

  Ed. Spenser.

  COMMENDATORY VERSES

  A VISION VPON THIS CONCEIPT OF THE

  FAERY QUEENE

  Me thought I saw the graue, where Laura lay,

  Within that Temple, where the vestall flame

  Was wont to burne, and passing by that way,

  To see that buried dust of liuing fame,

  Whose tumbe faire loue, and fairer vertue kept,(5)

  All suddeinly I saw the Faery Queene:

  At whose approch the soule of Petrarke wept,

  And from thenceforth those graces were not seene.

  For they this Queene attended, in whose steed

  Obliuion laid him downe on Lauras herse:(10)

  Hereat the hardest stones were seene to bleed,

  And grones of buried ghostes the heuens did perse.

  Where Homers spright did tremble all for griefe.

  And curst th’accesse of that celestiall theife.

  ANOTHER OF THE SAME

  The prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings,

  As doth the Cuckoes song delight when Philumena sings.

  If thou hast formed right true vertues face herein:

  Vertue her selfe can best disceme, to whom they writen bin.

  If thou hast beauty praysd, let her sole lookes diuine(5)

  Iudge if ought therein be amis, and mend it by her eine.

  If Chastitie want ought, or Temperaunce her dew,

  Behold her Princely mind aright, and write thy Queene anew.

  Meanewhile she shall perceiue, how far her vertues sore

  Aboue the reach of all that Hue, or such as wrote of yore:(10)

  And thereby will excuse and fauour thy good will:

  Whose vertue can not be exprest, but by an Angels quill.

  Of me no lines are loud, nor letters are of price,

  Of all which speak our English tongue, but those of thy deuice.

  W. R.

  TO THE LEARNED SHEPEHEARD

  Collyn I see by thy new taken taske,

  some sacred Jury hath enricht thy braynes,

  That leades thy muse in haughty verse to maske,

  and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes.

  That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto hinges,(5)

  So like the liuely Larke that mounting singes.

  Thy louely Rosolinde semes now forlorne;

  and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight,

  Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in same,

  those prety pypes that did thy mates Might.(10)

  Those trusty mates, that loued thee so well,

  Whom thou gau’st mirth: as they gaue thee the bell.

  Yet as thou earst with thy sweete roundelayes,

  didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers:

  So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes,(15)

  delight the daintie ernes of higher powers.

  And so mought they in their deepe skanning skill

  Alow and grace our Cottyns flowing quyll.

  And fare befall that Faery Queene of thine,

  in whose faire eyes hue linckt with vertue sittes:(20)

  Enfusing by those bewties fyers deuyne,

  such high conceites into dry humble wittes,

  As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede,

  From rustick tunes, to chaunt heroique deedes.

  So mought thy Redcrosse knight with happy hand(25)

  victorious be in that faire Ilands right:

  Which thou dost vayle in Type of Faery land

  Elyzas blessed field, that Albion hight.

  That shieldes her friendes, and wanes her mightie foes,

  Yet still with people, peace, and plentie flowes.(30)

  But (iotty shepeheard) though with pleasing style,

  thou feast the humour of the Courtly trayne:

  Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile,

  ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine.

  Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright,(35)

  From whence thy Muse, and all the world takes light,

  Hobynoll.

  Fayre Thamis streame, that from Ludds stately towne,

  Runst paying tribute to the Ocean seas,

  Let all thy Nymphes and Syrens of renowne

  Be silent, whyle this Bryttane Orpheus playes:

  Nere thy sweet bankes, there liues that sacred crowne,(5)

  Whose hand strowes Palme and neuer-dying bayes,

  Let all at once, with thy soft murmuring sowne

  Present her with this worthy Poets prayes.

  For he hath taught hye drifts in shepeherdes weedes,

  And deepe conceites now singes in Faeries deedes.(10)

  R. S.

  Graue Muses march in triumph and with prayses,

  Our Goddesse here hath giuen you leaue to land:

  And biddes this rare dispenser of your graces

  Bow downe his brow vnto her sacred hand.

  Desertes findes dew in that most princely doome,(5)

  In whose sweete brest are all the Muses bredde:

  So did that great Augustus erst in Roome

  With leaues of fame adorne his Poets hedde.

  Faire be the guerdon of your Faery Queene,

  Euen of the fairest that the world hath scene.(10)

  H.B.

  When stout Achilles heard of Helens rape

  And what reuenge the States of Greece deuisd:

  Thinking by sleight the fatall warres to scape,

  In womans weedes him selfe he then disguisde:

  But this deuise Vlysses soone did spy,5

  And brought him forth, the chaunce of warre to try.

  When Spencer saw die same was spredd so large,

  Through Faery land of their renowned Queene:

  Loth that his Muse should take so great a charge,

  As in such haughty matter to be seene,(10)

  To seeme a shepeheard then he made his choice,

  But Sydney heard him sing, and knew his voice.

  And as Vlysses brought faire Thetis sonne

  From his retyred life to menage armes:

  So Spencer was by Sidneys speaches wonne,(15)

  To blaze her fame not fearing future harmes:

  For well he knew, his Muse would soone be tyred

  In her high praise, that all the world admired.

  Yet as Achilles in those warlike frayes,

  Did win the palme from all the Grecian Peeres:(20)

  So Spencer now to his immortall prayse,

  Hath wonne the Laurell quite from all his feres.

  What though his taske exceed a humaine witt,

  He is excus’d, sith Sidney thought it fitt.

  W.L

  To looke vpon a worke of rare deuise
<
br />   The which a workman setteth out to view,

  And not to yield it the deserued prise,

  That vnto such a workmanship is dew.

  Doth either proue the iudgement to be naught(5)

  Or els doth shew a mind with enuy fraught.

  To labour to commend a peece of worke,

  Which no man goes about to discommend,

  Would raise a iealous doubt that there did lurke,

  Some secret doubt, whereto the prayse did tend.(10)

  For when men know the goodnes oj the wyne,

  T’is needlessefor the hoast to haue a sygne.

  Thus then to shew my iudgement to be such

  As can discerne of colours blacke, and white,

  As alls to free my minde from enuies tuch,(15)

  That neuer giues to any man his right,

  I here pronounce this workmanship is such,

  As that no pen can set it forth too much

  And thus I hang a garland at the dore,

  Not for to shew the goodnes of the ware:(20)

  But such hath beene the custome heretofore,

  And customs very hardly broken are.

  And when your tast shall tell you this is trew,

  Then looke you giue your hoast his vtmost dew.

  Ignoto.

  DEDICATORY SONNETS

  TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR CHRISTOPHER HATTON, LORD HIGH CHAUNCELOR OF ENGLAND. &C.

  Those prudent heads, that with theire counsels wise

  Whylom the Pillours of th’earth did sustaine,

  And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannise,

  And in the neck of all the world to rayne,

  Oft from those graue affaires were wont abstaine,

  With the sweet Lady Muses for to play:

  So Ennius the elder Africane,