The Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  The tast of bloud of some engored beast,

  No words may rate, nor rigour him remoue

  From greedy hold of that his blouddy feast:

  So litle did they hearken to her sweet beheast.

  32 Whom when the Briton Prince a farre beheld

  With ods of so vnequall match opprest,

  His mighty heart with indignation sweld,

  And inward grudge fild his heroicke brest:

  Eftsoones him selfe he to their aide addrest,

  And thrusting fierce into the thickest preace,

  Diuided them, how euer loth to rest,

  And would them faine from battell to surceasse,

  With gentle words perswading them to friendly peace.

  33 But they so farre from peace or patience were,

  That all at once at him gan fiercely flie,

  And lay on load, as they him downe would beare;

  Like to a storme, which houers vnder skie

  Long here and there, and round about doth stie,

  At length breakes downe in raine, and haile, and sleet,

  First from one coast, till nought thereof be drie;

  And then another, till that likewise fleet;

  And so from side to side till all the world it weet.

  34 But now their forces greatly were decayd,

  The Prince yet being fresh vntoucht afore;

  Who them with speaches mild gan first disswade

  From such foule outrage, and them long forbore:

  Till seeing them through suffrance harmed more,

  Him selfe he bent their furies to abate,

  And layd at them so sharpely and so sore,

  That shortly them compelled to retrate,

  And being brought in daunger, to relent too late.

  35 But now his courage being throughly fired,

  He ment to make them know their follies prise,

  Had not those two him instantly desired

  T’asswage his wrath, and pardon their mesprise.

  At whose request he gan him selfe aduise

  To stay his hand, and of a truce to treat

  In milder tearmes, as list them to deuise:

  Mongst which the cause of their so cruell heat

  He did them aske, who all that passed gan repeat;

  36 And told at large how that same errant Knight,

  To weet faire Britomart, them late had foyled

  In open turney, and by wrongfull fight

  Both of their publicke praise had them despoyled,

  And also of their priuate loues beguyled,

  Of two full hard to read the harder theft.

  But she that wrongfull challenge soone assoyled,

  And shew’d that she had not that Lady reft,

  (As they supposd) but her had to her liking left.

  37 To whom the Prince thus goodly well replied;

  Certes sir Knight, ye seemen much to blame,

  To rip vp wrong, that battell once hath tried;

  Wherein the honor both of Armes ye shame,

  And eke the loue of Ladies foule defame;

  To whom the world this franchise euer yeelded,

  That of their loues choise they might freedom clame,

  And in that right should by all knights be shielded:

  Gainst which me seemes this war ye wrongfully haue wielded.

  38 And yet (quoth she) a greater wrong remaines:

  For I thereby my former loue haue lost,

  Whom seeking euer since with endlesse paines,

  Hath me much sorrow and much trauell cost;

  Aye me to see that gentle maide so tost.

  But Scudamour then sighing deepe, thus saide,

  Certes her losse ought me to sorrow most,

  Whose right she is, where euer she be straide,

  Through many perils wonne, and many fortunes waide.

  39 For from the first that I her loue profest,

  Vnto this houre, this present lucklesse howre,

  I neuer ioyed happinesse nor rest,

  But thus turmoild from one to other stowre,

  I wast my life, and doe my daies deuowre

  In wretched anguishe and incessant woe,

  Passing the measure of my feeble powre,

  That liuing thus, a wretch, and louing so,

  I neither can my loue, ne yet my life forgo.

  40 Then good sir Claribell him dius bespake,

  Now were it not sir Scudamour to you,

  Dislikefull paine, so sad a taske to take,

  Mote we entreat you, sith this gentle crew

  Is now so well accorded all anew;

  That as we ride together on our way,

  Ye will recount to vs in order dew

  All that aduenture, which ye did assay

  For that faire Ladies loue: past perils well apay.

  41 So gan the rest him likewise to require,

  But Britomart did him importune hard,

  To take on him diat paine: whose great desire

  He glad to satisfie, him selfe prepar’d

  To tell through what misfortune he had far’d,

  In that atchieuement, as to him befell.

  And all those daungers vnto them declar’d,

  Which sith they cannot in this Canto well

  Comprised be, I will them in another tell.

  CANTO X

  Scudamour doth his conquest tell,

  Of vertuous Amoret:

  Great Venus Temple is describ’d,

  And louers life forth set.

  1 True he it said, what euer man it sayd,

  That loue with gall and hony doth abound,

  But if the one be with the other wayd,

  For euery dram of hony therein found,

  A pound of gall doth ouer it redound.

  That I too true by triall haue approued:

  For since the day that first with deadly wound

  My heart was launcht, and learned to haue loued,

  I neuer ipyed howre, but still with care was moued.

  2 And yet such grace is giuen them from aboue,

  That all the cares and euill which they meet,

  May nought at all their setled mindes remoue,

  But seeme gainst common sence to them most sweet;

  As hosting in their martyrdome vnmeet.

  So all that euer yet I haue endured,

  I count as naught, and tread dowrie vnder feet,

  Since of my loue at length I rest assured,

  That to disloyalty she will not be allured.

  3 Long were to tell the trauell and long toile,

  Through which this shield of loue I late haue wonne,

  And purchased this peerelesse beauties spoile,

  That harder may be ended, then begonne.

  But since ye so desire, your will be donne.

  Then hearke ye gentle knights and Ladies free,

  My hard mishaps, that ye may learne to shonne;

  For though sweet loue to conquer glorious bee,

  Yet is the paine thereof much greater then the fee.

  4 What time the fame of this renowmed prise

  Flew first abroad, and all mens eares possest,

  I hauing armes then taken, gan auise

  To winne me honour by some noble gest,

  And purchase me some place amongst the best.

  I boldly thought (so young mens thoughts are bold)

  That this same braue emprize for me did rest,

  And that both shield and she whom I behold,

  Might be my lucky lot; sith all by lot we hold.

  5 So on that hard aduenture forth I went,

  And to the place of perill shortly came.

  That was a temple faire and auncient,

  Which of great mother Venus bare the name,

  And farre renowmed through exceeding fame;

  Much more then that, which was in Paphos built,

  Or that in Cyprus, both long since this same,

  Though all the pillours of the on
e were guilt,

  And all the others pauement were with yuory spilt.

  6 And it was seated in an Island strong,

  Abounding all with delices most rare,

  And wall’d by nature gainst inuaders wrong,

  That none mote haue accesse, nor inward fare,

  But by one way, that passage did prepare.

  It was a bridge ybuilt in goodly wize,

  With curious Corbes and pendants grauen faire,

  And arched all with porches, did arize

  On stately pillours, fram’d after the Doricke guize.

  7 And for defence thereof, on th’other end

  There reared was a castle faire and strong,

  That warded all which in or out did wend,

  And flancked both the bridges sides along,

  Gainst all that would it faine to force or wrong.

  And therein wonned twenty valiant Knights;

  All twenty tride in warres experience long;

  Whose office was, against all manner wights

  By all meanes to maintaine that castels ancients rights.

  8 Before that Castle was an open plaine,

  And in the midst thereof a piller placed;

  On which this shield, of many sought in vaine,

  The shield of Loue, whose guerdon me hath graced,

  Was hangd on high with golden ribbands laced;

  And in the marble stone was written this,

  With golden letters goodly well enchaced,

  Blessed the man that well can vse his blis:

  Whose euer be the shield, faire Amoret be his.

  9 Which when I red, my heart did inly earne,

  And pant with hope of that aduentures hap:

  Ne stayed further newes thereof to learne,

  But with my speare vpon the shield did rap,

  That all the castle ringed with the clap.

  Stright forth issewd a Knight all arm’d to proofe,

  And brauely mounted to his most mishap:

  Who staying nought to question from aloofe,

  Ran fierce at me, that fire glaunst from his horses hoofe.

  10 Whom boldly I encountred (as I could)

  And by good fortune shortly him vnseated.

  Eftsoones out sprung two more of equall mould;

  But I them both with equall hap defeated:

  So all the twenty I likewise entreated,

  And left them groning there vpon the plaine.

  Then preacing to the pillour I repeated

  The read thereof for guerdon of my paine,

  And taking downe the shield, with me did it retaine.

  11 So forth without impediment I past,

  Till to the Bridges vtter gate I came:

  The which I found sure lockt and chained fast

  I knockt, but no man aunswred me by name;

  I cald, but no man answred to my clame.

  Yet I perseuer’d still to knocke and call,

  Till at the last I spide within the same,

  Where one stood peeping through a creuis small,

  To whom I cald aloud, halfe angry therewithal!.

  12 That was to weet the Porter of the place,

  Vnto whose trust the charge thereof was lent:

  His name was Doubt, that had a double face,

  Th’one forward looking, th’other backeward benti

  Therein resembling Ianus auncient,

  Which hath in charge the ingate of the yeare:

  And euennore his eyes about him went,

  As if some proued perill he did feare,

  Or did misdoubt some ill, whose cause did not appeare.

  13 On th’one side he, on th’other sate Delay,

  Behinde the gate, that none her might espy;

  Whose manner was all passengers to stay,

  And entertaine with her occasions sly,

  Through which some lost great hope vnheedily,

  Which neuer they recouer might againe;

  And others quite excluded forth, did ly

  Long languishing there in vnpittied paine,

  And seeking often entraunce, afterwards in vaine.

  14 Me when as he had priuily espide,

  Bearing the shield which I had conquerd late,

  He kend it streight, and to me opened wide.

  So in I past, and streight he closd the gate.

  But being in, Delay in close awaite

  Caught hold on me, and thought my steps to stay,

  Feigning full many a fond excuse to prate,

  And time to steak, the threasure of mans day,

  Whose smallest minute lost, no riches render may.

  15 But by no meanes my way I would forslow,

  For ought that euer she could doe or say,

  But from my lofty steede dismounting low,

  Past forth on foote, beholding all the way

  The goodly workes, and stones of rich assay,

  Cast into sundry shapes by wondrous skill,

  That like on earth no where I recken may:

  And vnderneath, the riuer rolling still

  With murmure soft, that seem’d to serue me workmans will.

  16 Thence forth I passed to the second gate,

  The Gate of good desert, whose goodly pride

  And costly frame, were long here to relate.

  The same to all stoode alwaies open wide:

  But in the Porch did euermore abide

  An hideous Giant, dreadfull to behold,

  That stopt the entraunce with his spacious stride,

  And with the terrour of his countenance bold

  Full many did affray, that else faine enter would.

  17 His name was Daunger dreaded ouer all,

  Who day and night did watch and duely ward,

  From fearefull cowards, entrance to forstall,

  And faint-heart-fooles, whom shew of perill hard

  Could terrifie from Fortunes faire adward:

  For oftentimes faint hearts at first espiall

  Of his grim face, were from approaching scard;

  Vhworihy they of grace, whom one deniall

  Excludes from fairest hope, withouten further triall.

  18 Yet many doughty warriours, often tride

  In greater perils to be stout and bold,

  Durst not the sternnesse of his looke abide,

  But soone as they his countenance did behold,

  Began to faint, and feele their corage cold.

  Againe some other, that in hard assaies

  Were cowards knowne, and litle count did hold,

  Either through gifts, or guile, or such like waies,

  Crept in by stouping low, or stealing of the kaies.

  19 But I though meanest man of many moe,

  Yet much disdaining vnto him to lout,

  Or creepe betweene his legs, so in to goe,

  Resolu’d him to assault with manhood stout,

  And either beat him in, or driue him out.

  Eftsoones aduauncing that enchaunted shield,

  With all my might I gan to lay about:

  Which when he saw, the glaiue which he did wield

  He gan forthwith t’auale, and way vnto me yield.

  20 So as I entred, I did backeward looke,

  For feare of harme, that might lie hidden there;

  And loe his hindparts, whereof heed I tooke,

  Much more deformed fearefull vgly were,

  Then all his former parts did earst appere.

  For hatred, murther, treason, and despight,

  With many moe lay in ambushment there,

  Awayting to entrap the warelesse wight,

  Which did not them preuent with vigilant foresight.

  21 Thus hauing past all perill, I was come

  Within the compasse of that Islands space;

  The which did seeme vnto my simple doome,

  The onely pleasant and delightfull place,

  That euer troden was of footings trace.

  For all that nature by her mot
her wit

  Could frame in earth, and forme of substance base,

  Was there, and all that nature did omit,

  Art playing second natures part, supplyed it.

  22 No tree, that is of count, in greenewood growes,

  From lowest Iuniper to Ceder tall,

  No flowre in field, that daintie odour throwes,

  And deckes his branch with blossomes ouer all,

  But there was planted, or grew naturall:

  Nor sense of man so coy and curious nice,

  But there mote find to please it selfe withall;

  Nor hart could wish for any queint deuice,

  But there it present was, and did fraile sense entice.

  23 In such luxurious plentie of all pleasure,

  It seem’d a second paradise to ghesse,

  So lauishly enricht with natures threasure,

  That if the happie soules, which doe possesse

  Th’Elysian fields, and liue in lasting blesse,

  ‘ Should happen this with liuing eye to see,

  They soone would loath their lesser happinesse,

  And wish to life return’d againe to bee,

  That in this ioyous place they mote haue ioyance free.

  24 Fresh shadowes, fit to shroud from sunny ray;

  Faire lawnds, to take the sunne in season dew;

  Sweet springs, in which a thousand Nymphs did play;

  Soft rambling brookes, that gentle slomber drew;

  High reared mounts, the lands about to vew;

  Low looking dales, disloignd from common gaze;

  Delightfull bowres, to solace louers trew;

  False Labyrinthes, fond runners eyes to daze;

  All which by nature made did nature selfe amaze.

  25 And all without were walkes and alleyes dight,

  With diuers trees, enrang’d in euen rankes;

  And here and there were pleasant arbors pight,

  And shadie seates, and sundry flowring bankes,

  To sit and rest the walkers wearie shankes,

  And therein thousand payres of louers walkt,

  Praysing their god, and yeelding him great thankes,

  Ne euer ought but of their true loues talkt,

  Ne euer for rebuke or blame of any balkt.

  26 All these together by themselues did sport

  Their spotlesse pleasures, and sweet loues content.

  But farre away from these, another sort

  Of louers lincked in true harts consent;

  Which loued not as these, for like intent,

  But on chast vertue grounded their desire,

  Farre from all fraud, or fayned blandishment;

  Which in their spirits kindling zealous fire,

  Braue thoughts and noble deedes did euermore aspire.

  27 Such were great Hercules, and Hyllus deare;

  Trew Ionathan, and Dauid trustie tryde;